Fulcrum's Dilemma
by Starwarshobbitfics
Summary: Following Ahsoka's fateful duel with Darth Vader, she must find a way to overcome her guilt for leaving Anakin. Agent Kallus has issues of his own. He must shake off the suspicion of being the new "Fulcrum" while he is in the heart of the Imperial Regime. No easy task when Grand Admiral Thrawn always seems one step ahead of him. Takes place Mid-Season 3 of Rebels.
1. Suspicions Arise

**8 months ago…**

 **Secret Rebel Headquarters, Atollon**

The remainder of the Ghost Crew watched in anticipation and dread as the Phantom came within view. Once it landed near the base, everyone held their breaths.

When only Kanan and Ezra stepped out, Rex knew that something had happened to Ahsoka. His closest friend since the Clone Wars. He bottled up his emotions and went to his private quarters.

He kicked off a couple of items in his room, trying to defuse his anger. "I can't believe it ! She… she can't be… No… No ! I should've gone with her !"

He heard a knock. "Rex. You ok ?" He recognized the voice as Sabine's.

He took a deep breath. "Come in."

The Mandalorian walked in, looking with saddened eyes. "Rex… I am SO sorry. Ezra told me the details. He believes Darth Vader… killed her…"

Rex clutched his head in his hands. "Should've never let her go… Poor Ahsoka… She didn't deserve such a fate…"

In another room, Hera held on to Kanan, whom was blinded. "What happened ?"

"We encountered a former Sith known as Maul. Ezra was separated with myself and Ahsoka. He allowed him to tag along with us so we could get that Holocron… against my better judgement. Next thing I knew, Maul tried to take me down… thankfully, he only grazed my eyes… Somehow, I managed to grab hold of him and toss him down the Temple. For Ahsoka, I could only hear Ezra pleading her to join us… She told her adversary "I won't leave you. Not this time." Chopper manned the Phantom and we were out of the danger zone. I… I don't know what happened to Ahsoka afterwards…"

She hugged him tighter, tears falling. "Oh, Kanan. I'm so sorry about Ahsoka. But what can we do about those eyes ?"

He let out a deep sigh. "I don't know…"

 **Imperial Headquarters, Coruscant**

Emperor Palpatine sat on his throne, watching as Vader almost crawled to him. "Lord Vader, so you've returned… what happened to your mask ?!"

Vader wheezed. "Forgive me, my Master… I have failed… The Rebels have obtained the Holocron. I faced the apprentice of Anakin Skywalker. I have underestimated her abilities. I gave her the chance to tell us about the remaining Jedi. She denied any knowledge of them. I was forced to do battle. We fought outside the Sith Temple. She began to tire and I Force-pushed her down the Temple. As I was attempting to take the Holocron for our use, she sneaked up from behind and managed to get a lucky shot, slashing my helmet. As the Temple crumbled around us, I tried to finish her off, but the coming explosion separated us. I could not find her, so I assumed she was dead."

Palpatine rose from his throne, looking at Vader with much disappointment. "Not only have you failed to obtain the Holocron, but you also failed to terminate Skywalker's apprentice ?! What of the Inquisitors that were sent to deal with Maul ?"

"All dead, my Master."

Palpatine turned away. "So be it. It would seem that the Inquisitorius is not as useful as I had hoped. No matter. I'll have other means to deal with the Rebels. If he succeeds his current mission, a newly acquired Admiral will be promoted to the rank of Grand Admiral. He is a tactical genius, one who will not fail the Empire."

With Vader's opened mask, he raised a visible eyebrow. "What is his name ?"

Palpatine turned back to his wounded apprentice. "Thrawn. A Chiss with a rather interesting way to deal with opposition. He studies them, learns their weaknesses… then moves in for the kill. He can tell what they are simply… by admiring their art. Curious, don't you agree, Lord Vader ?"

Vader's suit needed much repairs, he had a hard time breathing… even with his respirator. "While I heal, perhaps he will succeed where my Inquisitors failed."

 **Bail Organa's Office, Alderaan**

Senator Bail Organa was busy keeping his contacts with the various Rebel Cells up to date. His adopted daughter, Leia, sat by his side.

He wrapped an arm around her. "Your mission at Lothal has been a success. Thankfully, the Empire still doesn't suspect us to support the Rebellion."

"I owe the Ghost Crew a huge thanks for helping me out, Father. If it weren't for them, those Hammerhead-class cruisers would have never been "stolen" by the Rebels. What are you doing now ?"

Bail sighed loudly. "I have to make a drastic change to the "Fulcrum" file." There was Ahsoka Tano's personal file. Where her status was listed, he changed "active" to "deceased".

Leia did a double-take. "D-deceased ?! F-father ! Is this some kind of a bad joke ?!"

Bail removed tears from his eyes. "I'm so sorry, my daughter. I know that you loved her. She was almost family to us. Alas, I've received a report from Commander Sato. You remember Ezra Bridger ?"

Leia blinked for a few moments. "Of course, I remember him ! But I fail to see what Ezra has to do with Ahsoka's current state…"

"He was the last one to see her alive, Leia. They visited the planet of Malachor, in hopes of discovering a way to end the Sith rule. Unfortunately, Ahsoka ran into Darth Vader. Must I remind you what happens to people that cross paths with him ?"

Leia stood up, nervously pacing around. "No. You need not remind me, Father. But… Ahsoka was strong… I doubt that even Vader was able to kill her ! I refuse to believe that my good friend Mina is now without a mother !"

Bail motioned to his daughter to sit back with him. "I can understand your sadness, Leia. I've already sent my condolences to Senator Lux Bonteri and his daughter, Mina. They're as broken-hearted about it as we are." He held her in a comforting hug. "You need a distraction from all these grim news. Go to the library and try to study, please ?"

Leia rose from her seat, nodding. "Yes, Father. I'll go immediately." She went off.

Bail shook his head. "Now I need a replacement…"

 **Present**

 **Bonteri Private Residence, Onderon**

Ahsoka woke out of her nightmare, breathing heavily. "Again… That same vision… Why do I keep feeling responsible for Anakin's fall ?! I had nothing to do with it !"

Lux, now awake by his wife's loud breathing, turned to her. "'Soka ? Having another of those bad dreams ? You've been having them since you fought with Vader, over 8 months ago…"

She sat up on the bed, propping the pillow to support her. "I'm sorry, Lux. I didn't mean to wake you… I don't know why I still feel guilty about Anakin's fall… It's not like I begged him to turn to the Dark Side, you know ?"

"Of course, I believe you. You've seen all the psychiatrists in Iziz to help you with your trauma. None could come up with a solution to overcome your guilt…"

She stared in her husband's eyes. "Maybe psychiatrists can't help me with this… I've been thinking. Perhaps someone wise could help me."

Lux raised an eyebrow. "Anyone in mind ?"

She laid back on the mattress, sighing loudly. "Master Yoda. Thinking back when I was younger, either he or Obi-Wan knew how to solve many issues. Perhaps I ought to "face the music" and speak with him. Problem is, a part of me really doesn't want to, since what I've experienced in my trial by the end of the Clone Wars…"

Lux wrapped a loving arm around her. "Perhaps you should try to speak with him. Let bygones be bygones, you know ?"

"I guess. Please, don't let Mina know that I'm leaving again. I don't want her to worry…"

Lux chuckled. "She inherited your Force-sensitivity, you expect her to not sense your emotions as of now ?"

As if on cue, Mina Bonteri, 15-year old Half-Human/Half-Togruta, showed up at the door. "Mom… are you still letting that un-existing guilt eat away at you ? You've told me your last meeting with your Master on Mandalore… There is NO way he could think you're responsible for his fall… I don't care what you do to get rid of that guilt, just DO IT !"

Ahsoka rose out of bed, stretching herself and making her bones crack. "Ok, ok. I guess I'll try to find out where Master Yoda is hiding."

"Dagobah." Mina whispered.

Ahsoka raised an eye marking towards her daughter. "What makes you think that ?"

Mina had learnt how to trust her instincts like her mother. "Just a hunch, Mom. Give it a shot. What do you have to lose ? I doubt the Empire is scouring around Dagobah, for one…"

Ahsoka walked up to her daughter, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Now Mina, should anything happen to me, my lightsabers are yours. You've already mastered Djem So and Jar'Kai. You are more than ready. I doubt Stormtroopers will give you trouble."

Mina looked up to her mother. "Now you're being silly. You'll overcome your guilt, come back as determined as ever to rid the Galaxy of the Empire, the Rebels will win, end of story !"

Ahsoka gave Mina a gentle hug. "If only things were as easy as you believe them to be, Mina. I'm afraid it's more complicated than that."

Mina shoved her mother out the door. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Quit your yapping, Mom. Just do what needs to be done. I feel you'll do just great."

As Ahsoka left to her private ship, Lux turned to his daughter. "You shouldn't encourage her so much, Mina. Your mother is capable of much, but I don't want her rushing off to her death."

Mina hopped on the bed, sitting where Ahsoka laid before. "Oh, Dad. You always worry too much. You know that Mom succeeds in everything she does, right ?"

Lux nodded. "She does… but she also tends to be overconfident. That can be a weakness enemies can exploit."

 **Grand Admiral Thrawn's Office**

The Chiss sat besides his desk, studying various datapads. He broke from his concentration when he saw a high-ranking Imperial Security Bureau member walk into his office. "Agent Kallus, I've been expecting you. Please, have a seat."

Kallus took his designated spot. "Thank you, Admiral."

Thrawn narrowed his eyes towards the ISB member. "Have you been successful in locating whomever may be responsible for aiding the Rebels… within our ranks, I mean ?"

Kallus fought to stay focused. "I'm afraid not, Admiral. I haven't been able to get any leads…"

Thrawn handed Kallus a specific datapad. "The identity of this… traitor… will be unveiled in due time. But I've summoned you here for another reason, Agent Kallus. Do you know of the Rebel informant codenamed "Fulcrum" ?"

Kallus looked a bit unnerved. "All that I know, is that this informant seemingly faded off from existence following Lord Vader's mission on Malachor ? Is there a relation ? I wouldn't know…"

Thrawn rose from his seat, turning his back to Kallus. "We have been able to trace the identity… Does the name Ahsoka Tano ring a bell to you ?"

Kallus knew all-too well. "Ahsoka… Tano ? Wasn't she one of the Jedi of the Old Republic ?"

Thrawn paced around his office. "She was at one point. Apparently, she was falsely accused of murder… Another Jedi, by the name of Barriss Offee, had done the deed… I've taken a particular interest to her file. At some point in the Clone Wars, she was… close to Senator Lux Bonteri, whom represents Onderon for the Galactic Senate. Wouldn't it be surprising if these two got reunited following Order 66 ?"

Kallus raised an eyebrow. "But if she was a Jedi at the time of the Republic… how would she have survived Order 66 ?"

"According to her file, she had left the Jedi Order several months before Order 66 was issued."

Kallus scratched his chin in thought. "So… you suspect that she would be still alive… and with Senator Bonteri as we speak ?"

"I will verify these suspicions on my own when I visit the Senator's home… myself." Thrawn motioned Kallus to step outside his office. "Thank you, Agent Kallus. That will be all."

 **So much for wanting to take a break for several months. A couple of weeks was the most I could stand before the almighty writing itch came to me again. Thus far, my most successful story has been Unchanging Fates, giving us a glimpse of how things could have occurred if Ahsoka had remained in the Order. Several clamored for a sequel. This story takes place between the half of Season 3 of Rebels. I am a firm believer that Ahsoka survived her duel with Vader. While Ahsoka deals with her guilt for leaving Anakin, Agent Kallus has to shake off Grand Admiral Thrawn from discovering that he is the new "Fulcrum" Rebel agent. Over the next chapter, Ahsoka visits Master Yoda for advice and Agent Kallus warns Lux from Thrawn's future visit. The part with Bail and Leia talking between each other was intentional. As most of you already know, famed actress Carrie Fisher passed away a few days ago. Her portrayal of Leia in the Original Trilogy and Episode VII gave us a character to remember for a very long time. She will be missed. I hope this little tribute of mine is a fitting one. I wasn't planning on starting a new story right on New Year's Eve, but I felt inspired. Happy New Year everybody ! Hopefully 2017 will bring the Star Wars universe many positive things. Feel free to leave a review.**


	2. Divergent Paths

**Secret Rebel Headquarters, Atollon**

Rex was keeping himself busy and distracted by upgrading his weapons. Ezra barged into his quarters. "We've got a new transmission from Fulcrum ! No time to waste, Hera wants you to be at the briefing."

"Sure thing, kid. Coming." He left his old pistol on the table and made his way outside where everyone was gathered.

Everyone listened intently to Fulcrum's message. "There has been rumors about a surviving Jedi on Onderon. His or her location is unknown, but should the Empire discover this person, we'd have one Jedi less to lead the Rebellion. It would be in your best interest to convince him or her to join your efforts."

Realization hit Rex like a wall of durasteel. "Onderon ? Could it be that Ahsoka might be there ?"

Kanan stroked his beard. "Hmm. I'm not sure about that… It could be somebody else. Captain Rex, what makes you think it could be Ahsoka ?"

Rex paced around, trying to stay optimistic. "Back during the Clone Wars, General Skywalker and Commander Tano were tasked to help train rebels on Onderon so they could free their planet from Separatist occupation. Myself, as well as General Kenobi accompanied them. With the rebels was a boy named Lux Bonteri. His mother used to represent the planet in the Separatist Senate. Following her assassination, Lux represented the planet in her stead. Anyways, during the brief insurgency, Lux and the Commander seemed to be getting a bit too close for comfort. I wouldn't be surprised that she eventually found herself with Bonteri not long after she began to play a part in the current Rebellion."

"Before we head out, we should consult with Bendu. Rex, why don't come along with us ?" Kanan offered.

Rex took a speeder of his own. "Don't mind if I do, Kanan. I would really like to know if Ahsoka's still alive and what happened to General Skywalker."

Moments later, they arrived at his spot. He stirred when they arrived. "Ah, so you've brought a new friend, hmm ? I sense you have burning questions to ask."

Kanan did the introduction. "Bendu, this is Captain Rex, a veteran of the Clone Wars. We've just received a tip about the possibility of a friend having survived against all odds. Do you know anything ?"

"The one whom represents the purest of Light is alive and well. Still emotionally scarred from her vision, though…"

Rex gazed in awe at the being before him. "So you're saying the Commander is alive ? Then why didn't she come back to us ?"

Bendu scratched his chin. "Had your friend able to return on her own, she would have. But she was rescued and had to attend to her parenting…"

Ezra felt a bit of hope well up inside him. "Someone went to pick her up…. And she had kids ?! Who would've thought, huh ?"

Rex chuckled at the mental image. "Heh heh, I guess if the Commander survived the Clone War, she could survive raising a kid or two. But how does she find the time with all her missions ?"

"When you have children to look after, you make time. Perhaps you'll experience this, my friends."

Kanan scoffed. "Heh, not as long as the Empire is around. That's a risk I'm not willing to take !"

Rex changed the subject rather abruptly. "Bendu, was it ? No doubt you're knowledgeable about a great deal of things. What was that vision that scarred the Commander so much ?"

Bendu took a deep breath before answering. "You will not like it, but it is the truth, nonetheless. The prophesized "Chosen One"… By manipulation of the Emperor, he has become what he sought to fight against."

Rex backed a few steps. "What ? Are you saying General Skywalker became an Inquisitor ?!"

Kanan turned to Rex. "Worse. Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader are one and the same."

Rex's eyes widened in horror. "No… He couldn't ! General Skywalker always cared about everyone ! No way could he be that monster ! NO ! This isn't true !"

Ezra swallowed a lump in his throat. "N… now I understand why Ahsoka wanted to stay behind… She wanted to make amends for leaving the Order and him back then…"

Rex fell on his knees, crying. "Why didn't I see the signs ?! I knew that the war didn't seem to be progressing for either side… We were all… puppets… But who was pulling the strings ?"

"The most powerful man in the Galaxy remains as such." Bendu answered.

"The Supreme Chancellor ?! Yes, I remember now. When Commander Tano and I were on the run from other clones, we had heard the announcement of the Supreme Chancellor naming himself Emperor… Thus the Galactic Empire was born… He… he used us all… and even turned General Skywalker into a monster… We were all fooled pretty damn well !" Rex shook his head. "I've heard enough ! Let's get to Onderon before it's too late !"

"You will find someone… just not who you're looking for !" Bendu warned just as the trio left in haste.

 **Bonteri Private Residence, Onderon**

Lux was in the middle of an unexpected transmission. He couldn't see the person and its voice was garbled, making it impossible to recognize. "You will be receiving a visit from the Admiral of the 7th Imperial Fleet. I suggest that if you are aiding known Jedi, they should be kept out of sight during his visit. I trust you know the consequences if you're discovered to be a Rebel sympathiser. You must act swiftly."

Mina walked into the room as the transmission ended. "Why would an Imperial Officer visit you, dad ?"

Lux grabbed his daughter by her shoulders, kneeling to her height. "This isn't just any Imperial, Mina. It's Grand Admiral Thrawn, a cold, calculating son of a Bantha ! He cannot see you at all ! I'm going to have to find a way to get you out of here before he arrives. In the meantime, help me conceal any and all evidence of your mother's presence."

The two worked together to stash away all family pictures and Jedi related items. On a drawer laid Ahsoka's old Akul-Tooth Headdress and her old Togruta Sash. In her haste, Mina forgot to take these items away. Just as they finished hiding the evidence, the door rang. Mina was about to run to the door to answer, Lux stopped her in her tracks. "No, don't answer. It could be Thrawn. Go hide in your room, quick !" He whispered.

As Lux opened the door, he was greeted with a pleasant sight. "Senator Bonteri. It's been a while, my friend." Rex shook hands with him. He was accompanied by Kanan and Ezra.

Lux breathed a sigh of relief. "Captain Rex ! Thank the Force, I thought it was Grand Admiral Thrawn. How did you sneak past all those Imperial patrols ?"

"We have our ways. We were given a tip that there was a Jedi on this planet. Do you know about this ?" Kanan made his way through the entrance, feeling with the Force.

Lux rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh… I suppose you mean Ahsoka ? Well, she left for Dagobah a rotation ago. But wait a moment. Mina, come down ! It's all right ! They're friends !"

When Mina walked down, Rex did a double-take. "Comm- No… The Commander's daughter ? I'll say this, little 'un, you're the spitting image of your mother when she was your age…"

Mina couldn't help but be amused. "Yeah, everyone that knew Mom during the Clone Wars tell me the same. So you're Captain Rex ? Mom and Dad told me a lot about you !"

"You can share stories later. Thrawn will be here momentarily. Captain Rex, can I trust you with her well-being ?"

"You saved the Commander from certain death when she was stranded on Malachor, right ? I'm more than happy to help your family. Come along, little 'un." Rex urged Mina to follow with Kanan and Ezra.

Lux made himself a cup of caf after Mina was gone with the rebels. "My nerves have been shot enough so far… I need to calm down. I need to be ready to come up with believable alibis once Thrawn starts to question me."

Minutes later, Thrawn rang the door. Lux quickly opened the door. "Grand Admiral Thrawn ? This is an unexpected surprise ! Please, do come in."

Thrawn walked inside, followed by an officer, gazing at various pieces of art for clues. "A pleasure to meet with you, Senator Bonteri. I trust that the Imperial Senate isn't giving you too much problems ?"

Lux held a chair for the Grand Admiral. "No, Admiral. Things are proceeding normally."

"Thank you." Thrawn introduces his officer. "This is Captain Slavin, he has worked with me when the Empire overtook Ryloth."

Lux offers a chair to Slavin as well. "My pleasure, Captain. Please, have a seat."

"Onto business then. Senator, there are rumors that you are offering housing for a certain former Jedi. Are these… rumors merely rumors or is there a bit a truth to it ?"

Lux shook his head. "Definitely not, Admiral. I don't know where these rumors came from, but I can assure you, my loyalty to the Empire is true."

Thrawn rose from his chair and scanned the living room. "I've been studying on several Jedi of the Old Republic. One of them I find particularly fascinating. I trust that the name Ahsoka Tano is familiar to you ?"

Lux cleared his throat. "Well, yes. She had helped free Onderon from the Separatist occupation during the Clone Wars."

Thrawn produces a datapad. "So it has been stated here, Senator. Tell me… what do you know of her now ?"

Lux just shrugged his shoulders. "I'm afraid I haven't seen her since the Clone Wars…"

"I see…" Something had caught the Grand Admiral's eye.

Lux cursed himself. " _Force ! I forgot about Ahsoka's old headdress and her sash ! Hopefully, he won't know anything about it…_ "

He picked up the headdress. "How curious… Captain Slavin, do you know what this is ?"

Slavin just thought of a random answer. "Some old Onderonian piece of jewelry ?"

Thrawn rolled his eyes at Slavin's ignorance. "It's an Akul-Tooth Headdress… Made from the teeth of the namesake beasts that Togrutas hunt on their homeworld of Shili. Worthless to the outsider, a proof of a Togruta's strength to its owner, therefore a personal heirloom." He turned to Lux. "Now why would an Onderonian Senator have an artifact from Shili ?"

Lux fought against an upcoming panic attack. "Merely a curiosity, Admiral. I appreciate the culture and art of other people."

Thrawn gave off an unsettling smile. "So you appreciate art as I do. Perhaps I could show you my collection of artifacts from all over the Galaxy one day."

"I would like that, Admiral. Is there anything else I could do for you ?"

Thrawn made his way towards the door with Slavin. "Please accept my apologies, Senator Bonteri. It seems I've been following a wrong trail… However, should you come across any Jedi, I can trust you'll do your duty and turn them over to the Empire, will you not ?"

"Of course, Admiral. It would be folly to side with the Jedi these days." Lux opened the door, allowing the two outside.

"Thank you for your time, Senator. Good day." Thrawn turned away and took a speeder towards the Iziz spaceport.

As Lux closed the door, he collapsed on the floor, trying to slow his beating heart. "Phew ! That was TOO close…"

 **Yoda's Home, Dagobah**

After a long flight through hyperspace, Ahsoka had finally reached the planet where her former Grand-Master took exile. Having landed near a muddy pond, she trekked through the heavy rain and finally reached his home.

Yoda was handing out a homemade brew from the planet's plants. "A long time, since we last seen, yes ? A story to tell me, have you, hmm ?"

Ahsoka took a sip and found the drink bitter. "A lot has happened since I left the Order, Master. At first, I scavenged in the lower levels of Coruscant. Other than when I agreed to help with Maul on Mandalore, I've been planet-hopping since the Empire was formed. Eventually, I found my way to Alderaan and met with Senator Organa. At the same time, I met Senator Bonteri again since the Onderon mission. While we all worked together to shape the Rebellion, Lux and I… fell in love. Several months later, I was married and pregnant.

My contributions to the Rebellion slowed down a little bit when Mina was born. By her 2nd birthday, I had to leave her with Lux, which pained me to do. I had to stay away from Lux and Mina, in order to protect them. If the Empire found out he was married with a former Jedi and also had a child, she would likely be taken away from us to serve the Empire. Lux and I would likely be executed for treason."

Yoda took a cup of his own. "Much happened to you, I see. Stronger with the Force, you have become."

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes at the diminutive Master. "Do you know what happened to Anakin ?"

Yoda sighed sadly. "Know what happened, I do. Prevent Skywalker from turning, I could not. Failed to defeat his Master, Darth Sidious, I did. An agent of Evil, Skywalker is now."

Ahsoka struggled to not break down in front of him. "I had a vision while I was at the Jedi Temple on Lothal. I saw Anakin, angry and cold. He asked me why I left ? He… he said I was selfish. Said that I failed him, abandoned him. T… then, he asked me if I knew what he became ? That's when I realized that what I felt through that Sith Lord was truly Anakin. Beneath all those layers of hate, rage and fear, Anakin was somewhere deep down… He was right… I… I've failed him…" She couldn't hold it anymore and wept.

Yoda pointed his cane at her. "No. Failed Skywalker, you have not. Abandoned him, you have not. Brought this fate upon himself, he has. Trouble with attachment, Skywalker always had. Married Senator Amidala in secret, he has. Broken the Code. Good children, Senator Amidala gave birth to. Lights of Hope, they are. Together, when the time comes, defeat the Emperor and Vader, they will."

She dried her tears. "So… is my role over or do I still have a part to play in this war ?"

Yoda pondered for a moment. "Hmm. Cloud everything, the Dark Side does. Difficult to say."

She huddled herself, choking a sob. "All that I know is that since I've fought against him on Malachor, I've been feeling a lot of guilt about his fate. I've tried all sorts of things to stop feeling guilty, but it keeps eating away at me. Can you do something ?"

"Strong I am with the Force, but not that strong. Help you with this, I cannot. Heard of a wise man, I have. Wiser than me. On a distant planet, he lives. Help you, he could."

She raised an eye marking. "Can't you be a little more specific ?"

Yoda shook his head. "No. Yet another trial stands for you. Conquer your guilt and doubt, you must. Guide you, the wise man will. Use your feelings, and find him, you will."

She stood up, almost bumping her montrals on the low ceiling. "Guess I better start to trust my feelings then."

Before she headed out, Yoda offered some final worlds. "Feel guilty for Skywalker's fall, you should not. With time, face him again, you will. Then, and only then, fully at peace, you will be."

She walked through the heavy rain back to her ship. Within minutes, she was out of the atmosphere and back in space.

 **Pau City, Utapau**

A Separatist shuttle landed where General Grievous once commanded his battle droids. General Kalani stepped out, followed by a couple of battle droids. He turned to one of them. "B1-268, survey the platform and locate the remains."

The B1 Battle Droid complied. "Roger, roger !"

Minutes later, they came upon what they were looking for. "General ! I've found the remains of General Grievous."

Kalani scanned the remains. "Excellent work, B1-268. I calculate the chances of successfully reanimating him are set to 0.03%. The neural tissue is damaged and will require some grafting. We will also require new lungs and a new heart. The eyes and brain are still in decent condition, despite the charring done by the blaster bolts. We must seek out Kaleesh donors. Notify me of results."

In due time, the Emperor would soon discover that it was a mistake to pull Grievous' strings.

 **In Deep Space**

The Ghost was flying through space as quickly as possible, maneuvering through all the Star Destroyers and Tie Fighters. Mina had been given the duty to man the nose gun. Another Tie Fighter met its demise. "Another one down, guys !"

Hera kept giving her encouragement. "Nice work, Mina. Keep a sharp eye, don't get cocky !"

Zeb had his hands full with the rear guns. "Karabast ! Hey, Hera ! You plannin' to get us out of here soon ? They're boxing us in like womp rats !"

"Just a bit more and we'll out of here ! Hang tight !" Hera turned to her astromech. "Chopper, get ready to divert all power to the forward shields and calculate the jump to hyperspace !"

Of course, Chopper grumbled about his new task. Hera quickly whipped back to him. "Those Star Destroyers aren't shooting at us, so get on with it !"

Within several intense moments, the Ghost finally entered hyperspace, away from the Imperial Fleet. Mina hopped off her position and climbed back down to sit next to Hera. "What a rush ! I never thought shooting Tie Fighters could be so much fun !"

The rest of the Ghost Crew convened in the cockpit. Ezra had to throw roses at Mina. "How long is she going to be with us ? I mean, she's good at everything ! She beat me at every lightsaber duel, her shooting is spot on ! No doubt you'd probably fly this thing better than Hera."

"That remains to be seen, Ezra. Mina, do you have any experience in piloting ships ?"

Mina's lekku darkened a bit. "I'm afraid not. Neither Mom or Dad ever had the chance or time to bring me to fly my own. But I'm a quick learner. If you give me the chance, I'm confident I could fly this thing… reasonably well."

Kanan placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You'll have your chance. You've beaten Ezra in all lightsaber duels. Why don't you try your skills against me ?"

"Careful, Kanan. Despite being my age, she's already a master at Jar'Kai. Two sabers versus one will make things tough for you." Ezra winked towards Mina.

Mina playfully punched Ezra on the shoulder. "I thank Mom for my training, but I don't brag about it… unlike you."

The two went to the hangar for their skirmish. As expected, Kanan was unable to beat Mina.

Mina turned to the rest of the crew. "We'll be dropping her off back on Onderon once we deliver these extra supplies to Commander Sato. I'm sure her father will be relieved to see that she's perfectly fine."

 **Grand Admiral Thrawn's Office**

Thrawn was pacing about, caught up in his musings. " _The Akul-Tooth Headdress was no coincidence. No doubt he is hiding Ahsoka Tano. I'll let him fall into a false sense of security. When he least expects it, I'll have him arrested with a fake charge. With his capture, perhaps we can draw her out of hiding. Lord Vader will be pleased._ "

 **Of course, Thrawn is no fool. While he has all the right cards at the moment, his fortune will change little by little. While Yoda isn't capable to help Ahsoka clear herself of her guilt, he points her to another direction. The reanimation of General Grievous will play a big role for countering and defeating Thrawn. For the time being, Mina is enjoying herself with the Ghost Crew. She will play a vital role later on. Over the next chapter, we'll see Mina meeting with the Phoenix Rebel Cell, impressing Commander Sato by her abilities. Ahsoka, on her end, will visit a certain world and meet with a certain wise man. Don't you love my ambiguity ? It's so much fun to keep people guessing =P Lux will end up being captured by Thrawn. Will he be able to escape certain death by Darth Vader ? Feel free to leave a review.**


	3. Setting a Trap

**In Uncharted Space, orbiting an unknown planet…**

Ahsoka finally flew out of hyperspace, arriving near a planet. "Well, my feelings are telling me this is the place I need to go." Entering the atmosphere, she soon found herself flying over mountains, forests, plains and populated areas. "By the looks of things, it's a good bet that the technology on this planet is almost nonexistent…"

She landed in a clearing surrounded by trees. As she stepped out of her ship, she reached for her cloak. Quickly donning it, she made her way past the circle of trees and found rocky plains, as far as she could get a glimpse. "Not likely going to be finding a speeder here, so I guess I'm on foot." For several hours, the trek was uneventful. Once speeding down a cliff, her montrals warned her of approaching sentients. She quickly hid behind a large boulder. There were a group of Humans, at least 30 strong, riding some hairy creatures that made the oddest noises. Quickly taking a peak, these men wore some form of armor. " _Possibly warriors of sorts. Could they point me to the wise man ? Should I show myself to them ?_ " She mused. Waiting for the group to pass, she finally stepped out, preparing herself mentally to their reaction. "Hello ! Can you help me ?"

The group quickly turned around, many wielding spears and circled her. She held up her hands in surrender. Cornered by the spears, she stood silent as one of the riders approached her. "Who are you and what business have you in the Riddermark ? Speak quickly !"

She didn't waste time to answer. "My name is Ahsoka Tano. I've been sent here to seek out a wise man, from which I need his advice to solve… a personal matter."

Serveral of the men murmured between each other. "Greyhame ? She seeks Greyhame ?"

"Lower your spears, this woman is no enemy." The leader ordered before removing his helmet. "I am King Éomer of Rohan. If the man you're looking for is whom I believe, I will gladly help you." He let out a sharp whistle. "Brego !" A horse with a brown coat came to them. The soldiers distanced themselves from Ahsoka and Éomer, allowing the former to breathe a sigh of relief.

Éomer offered Brego's reins to her. "May this horse bear you a better fortune than its former Master. So you seek Gandalf ? You will find him at Minas Tirith. Ride to the East through the plains, past Snowbourn. You'll come across the shores of the Anduin River. Follow these shores Southward and you'll reach the province of Gondor. Once you arrive at the city of Osgiliath, only the Pelennor Fields stand between it and Minas Tirith, the White City. He offers council to King Elessar and Queen Arwen, whom rule peacefully."

Ahsoka struggled at first to climb the horse, after a few tries, she finally sat on the saddle and was ready to ride to her destination. "I thank you for your generosity, your Highness." She bowed respectfully before him.

Before she could head out, Éomer grabbed onto Brego's reins. "Do you have a weapon, Lady Tano ? While the One Ring has been destroyed months ago, Orcs still roam the countryside. Be careful if you're spotted by a raiding party at night, they can fight back with tremendous force and are usually grouped in large numbers."

She winked back him. "From where I come from, I could be considered a Knight of sorts, so I do believe I'll manage. Thanks for the warning all the same." She took the reins and began to ride towards Gondor.

 **Phoenix Rebel Cell, aboard the Liberator**

The Ghost Crew was boarding the main vessel of the Phoenix Rebel Cell. Hera led Mina to the command center. "Since you're with us for the time being, you might as well meet Commander Jun Sato, whom is in charge of Phoenix Squadron."

Once inside, Commander Sato greeted the Ghost Crew with open arms. "General Syndulla, I trust you have obtained the supplies we needed ?"

"We were lucky once again, Commander. Since Thrawn took command of the Imperial Fleet, we've been cutting it closer than ever. We're not going to keep being able to evade him, I'm afraid."

Commander Sato quickly noticed there was a new face. "A new recruit ? She does bear a resemblance to the late Commander Tano."

Hera made the introductions. "Commander Sato, this is Mina Bonteri, daughter of Senator Lux Bonteri and Ahsoka Tano."

Sato's jaw dropped to the floor. "She was married and has a child ?! I never knew…"

Mina certainly enjoyed being the center of attention. "It's true, Commander. Though my parents had to keep their relationship secret from everyone… well, almost everyone. Senator Organa knows, as well as Princess Leia."

"You know the Princess of Alderaan ?" Sato almost lost his footing, still reeling from the shock.

Mina paced around. "We were practically raised together… until the Empire summoned my Father to return to Onderon. I was about 9 years old at the time, so I spend most of my childhood with Leia."

Commander Sato had a great idea to get her involved. "Can you pilot a ship ? Since Thrawn's vicious and calculated attacks, we have been low on capable pilots."

Mina looked down, feeling disappointed. "I'm afraid not, Commander. I never had a chance since both of my parents have been extremely busy with the Rebellion. And another thing… my mother is still alive."

"But her profile lists her as "deceased" ! Why haven't we been notified ?!"

Mina's lekku paled for a moment. "My parents agreed to keep people believing that she is gone. To protect you all from Vader. If he learns that my mother is alive, he'll tear the Rebellion apart, just so he can get to her and finally kill her."

Kanan walked over to Mina, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "As long as we're around, we won't let that happen. Trust us."

Commander Sato cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention. "In the meantime, would you like to receive training to become a pilot ?"

Mina beamed immediately. "Would I ever ! When would I start ?"

"Right now, if you wish it." Sato pressed a button and activated the intercom. "Wedge Antilles. Please report to the command center immediately."

Minutes later, Wedge appeared. "You called for me, Commander ?"

Sato motioned to Mina. "This is Mina Bonteri, the daughter of Commander Ahsoka Tano. She wishes to be a pilot. I want you to train her to the best of your ability."

Wedge saluted his commander. "Affirmative. Mina, is it ? Come along, let me show you the ships that are part of Phoenix Squadron." Wedge guided her to the hangar.

 **In Deep Space, inside an abandoned Medical Center…**

Kalani overlooked a medical droid through a complex procedure. "What is your progress on our guest ?"

The medical droid turned to him. "Grafting of neural tissues are completed. The new Kaleesh heart and lungs should function as expected. Now, it's only a matter of reanimating the subject."

"I calculated that the probability of successfully reanimating him would be at 0.03%. Do you calculate better odds ?"

The medical droid began to hook the cyborg with various tubes. "Perhaps a single jolt of electricity is all that we'll need to get the heart and lungs running. The eyes and brain should follow. Please stand by for initial shock sequence." He pressed a button, sending a weak electrical pulse through the body.

After several attempts, the heart began to beat and the lungs fed oxygen to the brain. Within moments, the eyes opened. The cyborg scanned his surroundings. "Wh… where am I ?"

Kalani approached him. "You are onboard an abandoned Medical Center, dating back from the Clone Wars. You have been successfully reanimated since your defeat on Utapau. Do you remember me ?"

His memory returned within a few moments. "K… Kalani ? I remember now… Kenobi… Feeling the heat from my chest rise up to my head… then… oblivion…"

"Following your defeat, the clones turned against their Jedi commanders, initiating Order 66. Afterwards, there was a massive shutdown of Separatist droid forces. I avoided it, thinking it was a Republic trick. I had been on Agamar following our failed mission on Onderon. An old clone captain and a couple of surviving Jedi came to me, convincing me that the Republic continues its tyranny under the new name of the Galactic Empire."

Grievous let out a low growl. "Then neither Republic or Confederacy won the war ?"

"Affirmative, General. According to my research, the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic became the Emperor following the near-extinction of the Jedi."

Grievous finally rose from the operating table. "So Lord Sidious and Supreme Chancellor Palpatine were the same person ?! I've been used as a pawn in his plan of conquest ?!"

Kalani nodded. "Affirmative. Further research suggest that he conspired with the Banking Clan to cause an "accident" when you were leaving for your homeworld of Kalee to stop the Huk invasion. Count Dooku approved of the plot and arranged for a bomb to be placed on your prized vessel, the Martyr."

Grievous's anger rose. "I am General Grievous, Commander of the Separatist Droid Army ! Lord Sidious will pay for treating me as an expendable asset !"

"The Galactic Empire now have control of most of the Galaxy, only select pockets of space such as Hutt-controlled planets are left alone. Ending their tyranny will take time and much resources, resources the Rebellion doesn't have at their disposal currently."

Grievous gave a menacing glare towards Kalani. "The new Galactic Empire will soon crumble under the might of the Separatist Alliance ! I want all available Cruisers and Dreadnaughts at our disposal to be activated immediately !"

Kalani led the cyborg of the operating room. "The majority of the vessels used in the Clone Wars have been destroyed by the Empire. Most of it was melted down in order to supply parts for their Imperial Fleet."

"There must be a graveyard of Separatist ships somewhere ! I want you to search all over the Galaxy for it, do I make myself clear ?"

Kalani nodded. "Affirmative, General. I will scour the Outer and Inner Rim for remains of the Separatist Fleet."

While Kalani embarked into his shuttle, Grievous gazed into space from a large window, waiting for Kalani to report on his findings.

 **Bonteri Private Residence, Onderon**

Lux was going over several papers and enjoying a cup of caf. The door rang, Lux went over to answer. To his shock and surprise, Grand Admiral Thrawn stood, accompanied by a couple of Stormtroopers.

"A-Admiral… Is there anything I could do for you ?" He asked.

Thrawn produced a blaster from his sleeve. "Senator Bonteri, you are under arrest for conspiring against Grand Moff Tarkin. You will be taken to the Executor, where you will be questioned for your crimes. Lord Vader will decide your fate." He motioned to the two Stormtroopers. "Bind him."

Lux tried to keep himself from getting cuffed. "I am loyal to the Empire ! This is a mistake ! You can't do this !"

After a quick speeder ride, Lux was brought inside an Imperial Shuttle. Thrawn activated the holo-communicator. Agent Kallus' hologram came into view. "I see that you have been successful, Admiral."

"Indeed, Agent Kallus. Contact Lord Vader immediately. Tell him… I have the "bait" to lure out his "prey"."

"At once, Admiral." Kallus bowed before the transmission ended.

The Imperial Shuttle quickly left Onderon's atmosphere and traveled through hyperspace.

 **Near the borders of Gondor, Arda**

After riding for two whole days, Ahsoka needed some rest. She chose a clearing near a small stream. Gathering some wood, she made a fire. Brego was tied to a tree nearby. During the day, she had been fortunate to find a stray chicken. Cleaving its head with one of her lightsabers was all she had to do to earn herself a meal. Allowing it to cook over the fire, she had brought a water container and filled it up again at the stream. She took a few gulps of natural stream water before returning to her chicken. A couple of hours had passed since she set it. She tore into it, taking a small bite. To her pleasure, the meat was cooked just right. Without any seasonings at her disposal, however, it tasted bland. It was better than no food at all.

Having eaten a quarter of the chicken, she allowed herself some sleep. Before she could really begin dreaming, voices from afar woke her up.

"It's been three days since we had anything to eat ! If I don't get something in my belly soon, I'm gonna rip one of you guys apart and I'll feast from ya !"

An Orc sniffed the air. "Our wait is over, boss ! Can't you smell it ? Fresh meat ! Ahhhh…"

Before Ahsoka could run to her horse, the most disgusting creature appeared by some bushes. It was hunched, smelled horrible and looked like a deformed Human. "Well, what do we have here ? Hello there, my pretty." The Orc produced a blood-stained dagger. "You look good enough… to eat ! Boss ! I've found us some fresh meat, a pretty one, she is !"

Several other Orcs began to surround Ahsoka. Brego panicked and tore out the rope that was holding him, running off and leaving her on her own. She stood up, facing her would-be hunters. "You'll have to kill me first !" She held onto her lightsabers, ready to ignite them on a moment's notice.

The lead Orc was fat, had blood spilling from his mouth, filled with broken teeth. He wielded a large broadword. "What are those "tendrils" hanging from her head ? Probably loaded with nourishing fat, they are !" He licked his blade in anticipation. "We'll gut her like a pig !" He approached the Togruta some more.

Ahsoka bared her fangs, hissing. "This is my last warning. Leave me alone… or I won't show you any mercy."

The lead Orc cackled at her threats. "Ha ha ha ! I enjoy a meal that fights back ! Come on now ! Attack her ! Off with her head !"

All of the Orcs rushed her. Within a split second, her lightsabers were ignited and already more than half of the opposition lost their heads. The lead Orc backed away. "Huh ? Blades made of white light ?! A sorceress, this one is ! I know how to deal with this ! Release the troll !"

A large creature roared in the distance. As it charged Ahsoka, it tried to smash her with an enormous spiked club. A slash of her lightsabers and the club was cleaved in two, cutting its fingers in the process. The troll cried out in pain for a few moments, before attempting to crush her under its weight. One of her lightsabers went through its head, killing it.

The lead Orc growled. "You're a strong one ! You managed to kill half of my group and you took out the troll without breaking a sweat…"

"You have 10 seconds. Leave now or you'll join the rest."

The leader and the rest of the Orcs cowered and ran back across the plains, screeching their displeasure. She extinguished her blades and surveyed the battlefield. Orc corpses laid all around her. She whistled and Brego came back to her. "It's a good thing you ran off when you did, you would have easily become dinner for those things." She extinguished her fire, tossed the remains of the chicken in the stream and chose to sleep by her horse.

After barely sleeping for 3 hours, she woke up and resumed her travels towards Minas Tirith, hoping not to encounter more Orcs on the way.

 **Phoenix Rebel Cell, aboard the Liberator**

Wedge kept track of Mina's progress. "I think that you have a natural talent, Mina. You passed the simulation tests with flying colors."

She stepped out of the simulation ship. "It felt so easy ! But I'd guess in a real battle, I'd need to pay more attention to what's going on around me."

"Perhaps a few more days of traning and we could have you accompany us on an relatively safe mission." Wedge suggested.

She was about to attempt another try, but she saw Captain Rex run inside the hangar. "There you are, kid ! I've been looking all over for you. You need to come to the command center, right now !"

Mina raised an eye marking. "What's the rush ? What could be so urgent ?"

Rex gave a sad look. "It's your father…"

"What about my father ?"

Rex sighed. "He was taken captive by the Empire. Apparently, he was taken to Darth Vader's Super Star Destroyer, the Executor."

Mina did a double-take. "W-WHAT ?! Why are they taking my father to him ? He hasn't done anything…"

She quickly ran to the command center, seeing everyone gathered around the hologram of Ahsoka's markings. This only meant one thing. Fulcrum. "I am sorry to report that Senator Bonteri has been taken into Imperial custody. There is little I can do on my end, if I attempt to rescue him, my cover will be blown."

Once the transmission ended, Ezra wanted to take action. "We can't let Mina's father suffer… We have to attempt a rescue mission ! I'll take charge !"

Kanan shook his head. "No, it's too dangerous. It's obviously a trap. They're using his capture to lure Ahsoka out of hiding !" Kanan turned to Mina. "You might want to contact your mother…"

Mina activated her comlink. "Mom, this is Mina. Do you read me ? Come in !"

No response. Tears began to fall from Mina's eyes. "Why isn't she answering ? Mom ! Come in !"

Rex closed his eyes, trying to control his emotions. "She's likely too far away, kid. But I have to agree with Ezra, we can't leave Bonteri at their mercy. If Vader can't break him… they'll kill him !"

"No. We couldn't put a dent on Vader when we faced him on Lothal, Ezra. And Mina's presence would endanger the Senator even more."

Mina walked out the command center. Hera grabbed her arm. "And where do you think you're going ?"

Mina's lekku darkened to their fullest. "To save my father. If the rest of you don't want to take the risk, I'll go myself."

Ezra pleaded to Kanan. "We can't let her go on her own…"

Kanan let out a deep sigh. "I don't like this one bit, but I'll trust you on this one. Fine, go with Captain Rex, Sabine and Mina. Don't get caught."

As Ezra was leaving with the others, he looked at Kanan over his shoulder. "We won't."

 **The Ghost Crew will be attempting their most dangerous mission yet. Will Lux be rescued ? Ahsoka, on her end, will finally get to meet Gandalf. Feel free to leave a review.**


	4. A Daring Rescue and The Wise Man is met

**Aboard the Liberator, towards the Ghost**

Ezra, Sabine, Rex and Mina were racing through the halls. The faster they would act, the faster Mina's father would be rescued. Mina kept her gaze at the young Jedi. "I suppose you have a plan in mind ?"

Ezra stopped short before entering the shaft that lead to the Ghost, rubbing his neck. "Uh, actually no… I was hoping you were making one…"

"We're not going to be able to save my father using either the Ghost or the Phantom, they'll know we're coming before we even get there…"

Rex grabbed hold of Mina's shoulders, stopping her in her tracks. "I suppose you have a way for us to get in undetected, don't you, kid ?"

Mina nodded. "My father was given an Imperial Shuttle at one point. It's stationed somewhere at the Iziz Spaceport. Once we've got it, it should be smooth sailing for us… I hope."

Kanan's voice rang out from the hall. "Woah, woah, woah ! If you even want a chance to rescue the Senator, you'll need Chopper to locate his holding cell."

Chopper rolled about by the group, grumbling in binary. Sabine knelt by the astromech. "Someone's gonna need a paint job to get around undetected…"

Chopper used one his pincers to drag Sabine into the Ghost, muttering in his typical beeps. "Yes, I know, Chop ! We need to give you your makeover quick. Quit yanking me already !"

Mina could only chuckle at the sight. "Your astromech is fiercely loyal, I see. Reminds me of the tales my mother told me when she was younger, during the Clone Wars. On many occasions, an astromech named R2-D2 saved her and her Master from perilous situations many a times…"

Rex felt a shiver down his back. "Unfortunately, the General that your mother and I served became a monster… If he's in charge of your father's questioning, we'd better hurry."

 **Aboard the Executor**

Lux was strapped to a torture table, tilted vertically. He was finally regaining consciousness after being stunned several times in a row. As his eyesight struggled to focus, he soon recognised Thrawn. "Wh… what are you going to do to me ?"

Thrawn cupped his chin, deep in thought. "That will depend on the answers you give us, Senator. The more your resist our interrogation, the more painful it will be for you."

Lux frowned as he recognized an aged man walking inside the torture chamber. "Grand Moff Tarkin, it's a displeasure to meet you."

"We have reason to believe that you are aiding the Rebellion, Senator Bonteri. Perhaps you could begin by telling us the location of their secret base ?" Tarkin had a small controller in his hand, likely to activate the torture device.

Beads of sweat trickled down Lux's face. "I… don't know that ! I haven't been directly involved with them ! All I have done was setting up others for pickup and delivery of various supplies."

"So you admit playing a part, then ? Do you remember what you've said to Grand Admiral Thrawn before you were captured ? I quote "I am loyal to the Empire !" What I see here, Senator… is treason !" Tarkin pressed a specific button, activating a couple of nodes standing between Lux.

"No, no…. NO ! Ar…. ARRRRGGHHH !" He was electrocuted for a good minute before finally given a chance to recover. "P… please… s-spare me…" He was electrocuted again, causing him to whimper and cry out in pain.

Tarkin was beginning to lose patience. "Where is the Rebel base ?! Answer me !"

Lux struggled to regain his breath. "I… I t-told you… I… I… I don't know !"

"Very well, we have an alternative method to get the information out of you." Tarkin backed away and waited. Vader's respirator could be heard from the hallway. The sound that would cause most people to tremble in terror when they heard it.

Once Vader appeared in the torture room, Lux raised his head, giving off a disgusted look. "Traitor…"

"Have we met ?" Vader asked through his vocabulator.

Lux's anger finally let loose. "I know who you are ! You were once a decorated Hero from the Clone Wars. I don't know the circumstances that caused to become what you are now, but you chose rather poorly ! How could you turn your back on us all ?!"

Vader paced around Lux, making him very nervous. "If you won't give us the answers we seek, then we'll take them by force !" Vader extended his hand towards Lux, using the Force to peer into his mind.

Lux struggled, trying desperately to free himself from Vader's mind probe. "I won't… give you… what you want…"

"What is the location of the secret Rebel base ? And do you know what happened to Ahsoka Tano ? Where is she ?!"

"N-no… I won't…. I… won't…" Lux finally became exhausted and fainted.

Vader turned to Tarkin and Thrawn. "His resistance to the mind probe is surprising. Place him in his cell and allow him to recover. We will attempt again over the next rotation."

Stormtroopers took the unconscious senator and tossed him in his designated holding cell.

Tarkin joined Vader and walked alongside him. "Forgive me for asking, Lord Vader, had you not finished her off back at Malachor over 8 months ago ?"

Vader turned to him. "No. There were unforeseen complications that prevented me from terminating her. No doubt I've turned her into a scared little worm, she will likely hide away forever."

Tarkin raised an eyebrow. "And what of the location of the Rebel base ?"

"Grand Admiral Thrawn already has a plan set in motion. If his predictions occur, we will have them soon enough." Vader went back to his quarters to meditate and rest.

 **Iziz Spaceport, Onderon**

The Phantom landed near the hangar where Lux's Imperial Shuttle was stored. As everyone entered the shuttle, Rex took the pilot's seat. "Have you flown with your father before, kid ?"

Mina took the co-pilot seat. "On a few occasions. All I did was watch him how he proceeded to enter Imperial territory. I was always asked to stay silent. According to my father's file at the Empire, he is supposed to be single and childless."

"Then let me handle protocol. I know all about it." Rex boasted.

Sabine and Ezra sat to the rear, with Chopper stationed between them. Ezra felt hopeful. "I have a feeling that we'll pull this off."

The shuttle flew over the atmosphere and entered space. In minutes, they had entered hyperspace, towards the coordinates at the Executor was last known.

 **Minas Tirith, Arda**

Another day of riding and Ahsoka finally passed Osgiliath and the Pelennor Fields. Tell-tale signs of the War of the Ring still remained. There were still bloody patches on the grass where many slain Rohirrim, Oliphaunts, Orcs and Haradrim once laid. She finally arrived before the gates of Minas Tirith.

A couple of soldiers peered from the battlements above the gate. "Who goes there ? What business have you in Minas Tirith, the White City ?"

"My name is Ahsoka Tano. I am seeking a wise man named… Gandalf ?"

"She came to see Mithrandir ? Open the gate ! Open the gate !"

As the gate creaked open, she entered slowly and was greeted by a bearded man with blond hair and in very formal attire. "Welcome to Minas Tirith, Lady Tano. I am Faramir, Steward of Gondor. If you'll follow me…"

She got off her horse and followed Faramir. A beautiful woman ran towards them. "Welcome, milady. I am Éowyn, Faramir's betrothed. How did you get Brego ? He was my cousin's horse."

"He was given to me by the King of Rohan, Éomer." Ahsoka answered.

"So you've met my brother as well. If he trusted you with Brego, your intentions are pure."

Faramir embraced Éowyn for a moment. "Wait for me at our chambers. I will see you once I've brought Lady Tano to King Elessar and Queen Arwen."

Éowyn bowed before the two before leaving off. Faramir guided Ahsoka towards the many floors of Minas Tirith. "You will find the King and his Queen, as well as Mithrandir, at the Citadel on the highest part of the city. Come along."

Several minutes and many stairs later, Ahsoka and Faramir finally reached the doors of the Citadel, where the throne room stood. Faramir politely bowed before her. "Milady." He went back down the stairs, leaving her on her own.

As she opened the door, the sight mesmerized her. Clean marbled floors, statues of past Kings of Gondor stood on both sides of the great hall. In the distance, she could see the King and his Queen, waiting patiently for her. When she came close to their throne, she knelt before them. "Your Highness, your Grace. I am Ahsoka Tano. I was sent here to get council to resolve a personal matter."

King Elessar motioned her to stand up. "Rise, Lady Tano."

"What is this personal matter you speak of ?" The Queen asked.

Ahsoka took a few seconds on how she would answer them. "I have been plagued with guilt since a close friend of mine… betrayed us all when I could have prevented everything had I not left him… long ago. A wise teacher I knew hinted that Gandalf, or Mithrandir, as he is referred to here, could possibly help me overcome my misplaced guilt."

King Elessar took a few moments before giving his opinion. "From the sound of it, it would seem your "friend" made the choice on his own. Forgive me if my opinion is rude."

Queen Arwen rose from her throne, motioning Ahsoka to take a chair by a long wooden table. "I am sorry for your troubles, Lady Tano. I trust Gandalf will be able to help you accordingly. If you'll excuse me…"

King Elessar rose from his throne, a look of concern on his face. "You must be famished after your travels." He clapped to the servants. "Bring food and wine to our guest. Ensure that all her needs are met." Before he went to meet with his Queen, he turned to Ahsoka. "Gandalf will meet with you shortly, Lady Tano. He is busy completing some important paper work." He bowed politely before leaving her with the servants.

One of them brought a plate, filled with food. There was a roast chicken, no doubt seasoned as opposed to what she had eaten in the wilderness. There were also fruits such as a cluster of grapes and apples. Vegetables were present in the form of finely cut carrots and boiled turnips. Last but certainly not least, was a slab of salted pork.

As she began to tear through the meats, the other servant brought a flagon of wine and a cup, filling it for her. Never being given much of an opportunity to drink wine, she took the cup and drank a quarter of it in one gulp. She found herself pleasantly surprised. "Hmm… For being on a planet with no knowledge of space travel, the wine's actually quite good."

The servants left her to eat and drink in peace. After going through half of the salted pork, she helped herself with another cup of wine, reducing the flagon by half. She quickly found herself feeling a bit lightheaded. " _Woah there ! Slow down ! Don't get yourself drunk before meeting him !_ "

Half an hour later, she heard the slow footsteps of a person coming. It didn't come from where the servants went off, so she turned to the other direction. She saw an old man with a long white beard, clothed in brilliant white robes, and holding onto a magnificent staff. Sensing this was the man she seeked, she crossed her arms and raised an eye marking. "You're Gandalf ? You're late."

"A Wizard is never late, Lady Tano. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to." The old man harrumphed.

She stood in shock for a moment. "How did you… ? I didn't even get the chance to tell you my name !"

He chuckled softly. "I saw your coming through the Palantir. I know your reasons for seeking my advice, young one."

She scratched her montrals. "Palantir ?"

"Once an instrument of Evil, now a useful artifact to see the future…"

She didn't seem convinced. "Are you pulling my leg ?"

Gandalf tapped her with his staff. "Come with me." He lead her behind the throne room. On a stone pedestal stood a crystal ball of sorts. "The Palantir is a seeing stone, you see ? Hold your hand over it."

Ahsoka did as instructed. Through the stone, she saw a boy being tortured by Force Lightning. The boy pleaded for help towards Darth Vader, calling him "Father". She sucked in a breath. " _Anakin's son ?! Is he the one meant to redeem him from his dark path ?_ "

"That is merely a glimpse of the future in your world, Milady. You need not fear the fate of the boy. Remember that Good always triumphs over Evil." Gandalf led the shocked Togruta back to the dining table.

She sat back and took a bite of the chicken. "Since you know why I came here, how can you help me ?"

Gandalf sat next to her. "You will need to face the darkness within yourself… and purge it. This can only be done where darkness once thrived. The ruins of Dol Guldur, that once were the hiding place for Sauron, then known as the Necromancer, is where you will face your inner demons and defeat them. This will be no easy task. Once the darkness within you is purged, so will guilt and doubt concerning the path you took. You will have gained a sense of peace within your tormented soul."

She raised an eye marking. "Darkness within myself ? What the Force are you talking about ?"

"I saw a bit of your past through the Palantir. At one point in your life, you were taken in by darkness… albeit temporarily." He placed his hand on Ahsoka's forehead. "These are memories that were locked deep into your subconscious. Not your proudest moment, but you were most definitely possessed." She could see the images once the Son had claimed her. She saw herself fighting against Anakin and Obi-Wan… until she delivered the Dagger of Mortis to the Son. Then she witnessed the Son disposing of her.

She quickly stood up, wiping her mouth with her hand. "I did all of that ?! Well, what are we standing here for ? The faster I do this, the faster I can stop my darkness inside and the guilt eating away at me !"

Gandalf shook his head. "Oh, no. We are not heading out tonight. You are far too exhausted from your travels. You require much rest. There is already a room for you, complete with a bed and a bath. The servants have just filled the pool with steaming hot water while we were talking."

Gandalf guided her to her designated room. As mentioned, Ahsoka sensed the upped humidity in the room caused by the steam. She turned to him. "I don't recall ever been received by anyone with so much pampering… No one will come looking for me, right ?"

"No, Milady. You may bathe in absolute privacy. I will come for you at sunrise. We will depart early in the morning." Gandalf bowed politely and left her on her own.

For a few moments, Ahsoka hesitated to see how hot the water was. She knelt by the edge and stuck a finger in the water. " _Oooh… This is certainly hot. After a few minutes, I should be able to just sit there and soak in the warmth._ "

Certain she was alone, she began to undress by removing her breastplate, then the rest of her armor and finally the robes she wore under. She dipped one of her feet for a few seconds. She quietly entered the pool, lowering herself into the water until only her head stood above the surface. She then dipped her head underwater for a few seconds, which caused the hot water to trickle down her montrals and lekku. " _I believe I'm comfortable now. Ohhh… This feels wonderful. The warmth is just right, I'm not feeling any burning sensations anymore. Guess I could spend a good hour just soaking in here…_ " Scanning around, she found a cloth and some soap by the other edge of the pool. She swam to the opposite side and began to cleanse herself. After she was done, she just allowed herself to relax and enjoy the tranquility.

 **Towards the Executor**

Having just exited hyperspace, the crew of Shuttle Tydirium were approaching their destination. Rex gazed through the cockpit window. "There it is, everyone. The Super Star Destroyer, Executor." He turned to Ezra and Sabine, sitting at the back seats. "Now remember, this is a stealth mission. We're going in, find the Senator and rescue him and we get out of there… as quickly and _quietly_ as possible. Got that ?"

"Sure thing, Rex." Ezra huddled himself.

Sabine noticed his discomfort. "Ezra, are you feeling ok ?"

"I feel… _cold_. And I don't mean that I'm freezing… I have a bad feeling all of a sudden…"

Mina felt a shiver run down her spine. "Strange, I feel the same as you do, Ezra. It's not a good feeling at all. What does it mean ?"

Ezra swallowed. "Vader's onboard. Right now. We're not going to have it easy, I'm afraid."

Rex sighed deeply. "I still can't believe the General turned against the Jedi. It was not in his character…"

Sabine also felt everyone's unease. "Perhaps here we'll find out if Kallus is really on our side."

Rex tensed up at the agent's mention. "If he tries to betray us, I'll see that a blaster bolt finds its way into his skull."

Before further conversation could continue, the communication opened from the Executor. "We have you on our screens now, please identify."

Rex took a deep breath. "Shuttle Tydirium, requesting entry into main hangar. Over."

At the bridge of the Executor, the communications officer had Thrawn by his side. "Allow them entry, officer." He ordered.

"Shuttle Tydirium, you are cleared for entry. Over."

Mina raised an eye marking. "Isn't this a bit too easy ?"

Sabine stood up between Rex and Mina. "It's almost like they're expecting us…"

Ezra sensed a trap being set. "Thrawn's likely onboard as well. We're going to have to be really careful if we don't want to get caught."

As the Imperial shuttle landed, everyone was changing into Stormtrooper uniforms. Mina had some trouble fitting her helmet because of her lekku and montrals. "This isn't going to work, guys."

Ezra came up with a plan. "We'll improvise. You'll be our prisoner instead. Change back into your normal clothes. Let's find some binders to make it look convincing."

Rex, Sabine and Ezra stepped out of the shuttle with Mina in binders. Chopper was rolling alongside them. A Lieutenant came to them. "Where are you taking this… prisoner ?"

"The detention level… of course." Rex answered, hesitating slightly.

The Lieutenant raised an eyebrow. "You're new to the Empire, aren't you, Trooper ?"

Rex nodded excitedly. "Yes, sir. I've been drafted into the Empire just a few weeks ago."

As the crew brought Mina through the vast halls, Vader, Tarkin and Thrawn convened in Vader's quarters. Vader paced around the two. "You are certain that this plan of yours will succeed, Admiral Thrawn ?"

Thrawn was looking up files on a datapad. "Without a doubt, Lord Vader. While we have not been able to draw Ahsoka Tano out of hiding, the members of the Ghost Crew couldn't possibly pass up a plea for help. I expect them to be able to locate Senator Bonteri's cell momentarily, thanks to their astromech. I also suspect that Agent Kallus will unveil his true loyalties soon enough. He will likely escape with the Ghost Crew and they will certainly head straight to their secret base. I've taken the liberty of secretly fitting a tracking chip in Agent Kallus' comlink."

Tarkin cupped his chin, eyebrows raised. "And you're basing everything on a hunch ? You're taking an awful risk, Thrawn. This had better work."

"Of course, we shouldn't make their escape too easy. This is where you come in, Lord Vader. You should… "toy" with them a bit… to give them a false sense of accomplishment once they've broke off from your assault." Thrawn suggested.

Suddenly, Vader stopped in his pacing. "I sense a presence… familiar yet different…" He headed off to prepare himself for his mock duel.

In the detention level, the crew had removed Mina's binders. Chopper had hooked into the mainframe and found that Lux Bonteri was held in cell number 327. Mina stopped in front of the door. "I can feel him. He's weak… but alive !"

Chopper attempted to open the door but got shocked instead. Ezra pulled him away from the circuit to avoid having his systems fried. "Woah, Chop ! That must've stung, huh ?"

Rex rubbed his temples. "If the astromech can't get through, then I don't see…"

"Allow me." Everyone jumped in surprise as Agent Kallus suddenly came behind them and produced a keycard. Swiping it, the door opened, revealing Lux laid on his side, in great pain.

Mina ran to her father. "Dad ! Are you all right ?"

Lux did a double-take. "M-Mina ?! How did you… ? No… never mind. It's not safe here ! Vader…. Vader will…" Lux passed out from fatigue.

Agent Kallus picked him up and held him over his shoulder. "We have little time. If we are to escape, we should go now. Follow me, I can pass through all the security."

As everyone walked in haste out of the detention level, they sneaked past a couple of Stormtroopers whom were distracted by their conversation about the latest kind of speeders being produced.

They were almost in the clear when Ezra stopped short. "That feeling again… so cold."

A bit further through the main hall and they came face to face with Darth Vader. "We meet again, child. Are you still as "fearless" you claimed to be back on Malachor ?" He ignited his lightsaber.

Mina wasted no time to ignite her two sabers. "You're the one that tried to kill my mother ? I'm not going to go easy on you !"

Vader stared at her. "You're the presence I felt. Now it all makes sense. You're Ahsoka Tano's daughter ! She was wise to hide you from the Empire. Now, her failure is complete."

Mina charged straight at Vader, parrying his blows. Vader Force-pushed her several feet away. "How pathetic ! I had hoped you would be stronger… like your mother before I broke her spirit."

Mina stood up, recovering from Vader's move. "Her spirit won't be broken for long ! She's gone to purge the guilt she felt for you ! Next time you meet her, the tables will turn !"

Ezra couldn't let her take him on by herself. "Mina, wait ! We'll go at him together ! Maybe we can force him to retreat !"

Vader noticed Kallus carrying Lux. "A shame that you failed to recognize the Empire as the true ruler of the Galaxy, Agent Kallus. If I don't kill you now, someone else will."

Rex took out his pistols. "You won't be given that pleasure !" Vader expertly blocked all the bolts with his lightsaber. It would have knocked Rex down if he hadn't anticipated the move and stepped out of the way.

Both Ezra and Mina charged at Vader, wailing at him. Due to Vader's experience in fighting Jedi, he parried each of their combined blows. At that moment, Sabine took out the Darksaber she found on Dathomir. She attempted to swipe at Vader, missing her target. Vader picked her up by one of her arms and tossed her to the wall, knocking the wind out of her. Rex picked her up and ran. "We can't win this fight. Ezra, Mina, break off your attack and run ! That is an order !"

The two Jedi focused together to Force-push Vader out of the current room while Chopper closed the blast door before Vader could pursue them further.

"Now is our _only_ opportunity to escape ! I assume you have a vessel of your own." Kallus lead the team to the hangar, where the Tydirium stood.

Stormtroopers were heard running towards them. Rex was the first to enter the shuttle. "Come on, those troopers are almost here !"

Kallus ran inside as the shuttle began to take off. "Please take me with you. Now that Vader has seen me aiding you, my cover as a Rebel spy is blown."

Just as the Stormtroopers began to shoot, the Tydirium finally exited the Executor's main hangar.

Several Tie pilots ran to their vessels, ready to pursue. Thrawn stepped in. "Let them go. They've earned their victory."

The Captain was shocked. "But sir, they took Agent Kallus captive ! We should rescue him !"

"Trust me, pilot. Agent Kallus was _not_ kidnapped. He has shown his loyalty for the Rebellion. Fear not, he will pay for his treachery in due time." Thrawn walked back to Vader's office, to keep track of Agent Kallus' travels through deep space.

Rex allowed the navicomputer to calculate the jump to lightspeed. "In a moment, a horde of Tie Fighters will be at our backs. Hold on, everyone !"

Not looking back, the Tydirium finally entered hyperspace. Now feeling safe from danger, Mina went to check on her father. Lux was resting in a small cabin. She knelt before him. "Oh, Dad. I'm so sorry they got you !"

Lux tried to sit up, but the pain was a bit much. "Ow ! Mina, it's ok. I didn't break, no matter what. I told them nothing. Guess your father is a pretty tough fellow, huh ?"

Mina gently hugged him. "I guess being with Mom, you had little choice but to be tough. I'm so glad you're alive."

"As am I, Mina. I'm sure your mother will return to us, safe and sound." Lux returned the embrace.

 **Inside Vader's Office**

"Astonishing ! To think that the rebel spy was right under our noses !" Tarkin took a datapad of his own, modifying Kallus' file.

Thrawn stood before him, a malicious smile escaping his lips. "I had my suspicions that he was the one, Grand Moff Tarkin. His sudden disappearances were the first sign. The second was his dubious report following the escape of the rebels at the Lothal weapon assembly factory. Now all that we must do is wait. When the tracker gives us a very remote location, odds are it is where the Rebels have their base. In time, we will make our move and crush the Rebellion with one swift stroke !"

Vader sat by his desk. "And now we are presented with another problem. I have just discovered that Ahsoka Tano had produced a daughter following the Clone Wars. The girl I fought in the main hall was possibly 15-16 years old, bearing a striking resemblance to her mother when she fought in the Clone Wars. Before she becomes a threat to the Empire, we should deal with her."

Thrawn took out his datapad, making a quick search. "So the discovery of the Akul-Tooth Headress at the Bonteri residence was indeed no coincidence. Looking up the births of all the children 15 years prior, we have a girl by the name of Mina Bonteri. Her status lists her as Half-Human and Half-Togruta, and Force-Sensitive. Without a doubt, the product of the union between Senator Lux Bonteri and the Togruta Force-Sensitive, Ahsoka Tano."

 **Next chapter, Ahsoka travels to Dol Guldur and faces her inner demons. For the Rebellion, they'd better hang on tight for the Empire will come knocking on their doors soon enough. Feel free to review.**


	5. New Allies and Ahsoka Purges her Guilt

**Iziz Spaceport, Onderon**

The Tydirium landed near the Phantom, allowing Sabine, Chopper, Kallus and Ezra to make their way back to Atollon. As the Phantom took to the skies and space, Lux had to wage his options.

Having recovered a fair amount during hyperspace, Lux paced around in the cockpit. Mina definitely sensed her father's anxiety. "So, what do we do now ?"

"I shouldn't be surprised that I'm labeled as a traitor to the Empire at this point… Going back home for supplies would be risky. Is there anything left there that we really need to bring with us ?" Lux asked.

Mina thought a moment before giving her two credits about the situation. "Not that I can think of, Dad. Sure, pictures of when we were a happier family would be nice, but as long as we're together, these memories will live on, right ?"

Lux took the pilot seat. "You're right. There's nothing of real value back home. And now that I've been branded a traitor, I guess I can kiss my fortune good bye as well. Bah, what is all the money in the Galaxy worth if you can't even enjoy it ? I think it's time I invest all my efforts to the Rebellion instead of arranging pickups in the background."

Rex patted Lux on the shoulder. "I think that's a wise decision, Bonteri. Maybe it's for the best that you leave Onderon behind… for now."

Lux took a deep breath. "Right. Captain Rex, I trust you know the coordinates to the Rebel Base on Atollon ?"

Rex nodded. "Yes sir, allow me to enter them." He pressed a series of buttons. "There, once we get into hyperspace, we'll be making a beeline towards the Base. You sure you're ready to give everything you've got for our cause ?"

"I have two very good reasons to stand against the Empire. One of them is here." Lux motioned to Mina.

Mina's lekku darkened momentarily. "Aww, Dad ! You're making me blush !"

Lux embraced his daughter, hugging her tightly. "Well, it's true ! I've been told by Ezra and Sabine that you did well when escaping the Empire. I know I keep saying it, but I'm proud of you, Mina. Proud of how far you've come. You trained in your early years with your mother, which has been beneficial. You've been able to hold your own against Darth Vader, for one…"

Mina broke away from her father. "Yeah… about that, I can't help but feel that he wasn't trying very hard. They wanted us to escape with you… but why ?"

"Can we cut the gloomy talk for now ? While we fly to Atollon, let me tell you the time your mother and I were in charge of keeping the Blue Shadow Virus contained in Nuvo Vindi's secret laboratory. I don't know if she told you about it, but we both came pretty close to death at that point…"

Mina took sudden interest. "I don't think she told me that one, Captain Rex. Please, do tell. It sounds like one of Mom's usual crazy adventures when she served with the Jedi."

Rex chuckled. "Whenever General Skywalker or Commander Tano were involved, things rarely got dull. I miss those days…"

The shuttle entered hyperspace and flew towards the secret Rebel Base.

 **In Deep Space, aboard an abandoned Medical Center**

General Grievous was pacing back and forth. Many rotations passed since Kalani left to find Separatist warships still functioning. Suddenly, his comlink beeped. Answering it, he saw the hologram of the Super Tactical Droid. "Kalani, anything to report ?"

"Affirmative, General. I have been successful to come upon a Separatist ship graveyard on Jakku."

Grievous blinked a few times. "Jakku ? Very well, what consists of our fleet ?"

"9 Separatist Dreadnoughts were found still in working order." Kalani answered.

"9 vessels ?! All you could find were 9 vessels ?! You call that a fleet ?!" Grievous snarled.

"All of them are filled with all matter of combat droids, General. B1, Super Battle, Destroyer, Commando, Droid Gunships, Vulture and Tri-fighters. There is also an uncountable number of Buzz Droids which the Vulture Droids can launch into space."

Grievous was about to crush the comlink in pure frustration. "There is something else… isin't there ?"

Kalani produced a holographic image of his own. "Affirmative, General. What we have here is a vessel constructed during the Clone Wars but was never used as the conflict ended when it was completed. This is a larger, more powerful version of the original Malevolence. Now the size of a Super Star Destroyer, an Ion Cannon 4 times the size of the original, covering much more space and going further than before. I believe it was codenamed Malevolence Mark-II."

Grievous cackled in glee. "This will be our secret weapon. With this, the Galactic Empire will soon bow to the Separatist Alliance !"

"Perhaps it would be wise to side with the Rebellion. Our odds would be even greater." Kalani suggested.

"They must have a secret Base somewhere ? Do you know of their location ?"

"Negative, General. But I can be informed. I will contact you once I know their location." Kalani ended the transmission.

Grievous looked towards the vast space through the large window, biding his time for his vengeance against Sidious' treachery.

 **Aboard the Phantom, in hyperspace**

As Ezra, Chopper, Sabine and Kallus were heading towards Atollon, their comlink beeped. Ezra immediately answered. The hologram of General Kalani came into view. "Hey, General. It's been a while. Can we help you with anything ?"

"I would like to know the location of your secret Rebel Base. The Separatist Alliance is now willing to join the Rebellion. I've been able to acquire some Dreadnought-Class cruisers, which should be of use for your cause against the Galactic Empire."

Ezra was quite impressed. "Really ? That's great ! Ok, we're on Atollon. We'll be waiting." The transmission ended.

 **Minas Tirith, Arda**

Ahsoka was sound asleep. After having enjoyed a hot bath the previous night, the thick bedsheets provided much comfort. The morning call of the roosters woke her up. As she turned to the door, Gandalf walked in.

"Good morning, milady. I trust you have rested well ?"

She slipped out of the bed, already decked out in her armor. "Yes, I haven't slept this peacefully in a very long time. I had little time for sleep while I was on the run and in hiding from the Galactic Empire."

"Come to the throne room, your breakfast is waiting." He lead her to where King Elessar and Queen Arwen sat on their respective thrones.

"Gandalf has told me of your coming quest, Lady Tano. I wish you the best. May this offering of food give you strength." King Elessar pointed to a small table with a plate, filled with sausages and bacon. Water was provided as refreshment.

"Thank you for your generosity, your Highness." Ahsoka bowed before sitting down for her breakfast, quickly tearing through the meats.

Minutes later, she was done and ready to head out. Gandalf guided her to the ground level of the city, towards the gates. "Our journey to the ruins of Dol Guldur will take several days. We have the necessary supplies."

She looked around for her horse. "Where is Brego ?"

"He is resting, milady. You will be riding with me." Gandalf lead her out of the gates and onto Pelennor Fields.

She raised an eye marking. "So… where is your horse ?"

Gandalf turned to her, smiling. "You must be patient, young one." He whistled into the plains. In the distance, a majestic white horse came to them. Ahsoka had her breath taken away by its beauty.

Gandalf patted the horse's mane. "Shadowfax. He is the Lord of all Horses. And has been my friend through many dangers. Shall we ?" They both climbed onto Shadowfax and were soon sprinting towards the North, towards Mirkwood, where the ruins of Dol Guldur laid beyond.

 **Secret Rebel Base Headquarters, Atollon**

Hera and Commander Sato were both pacing back and forth. Kanan did his best to calm them down. "We'll hear from them soon enough. I know that Ezra and the others succeeded in saving the senator. You both need to relax."

Hera couldn't help but worry for her teammates. "They've been gone longer than expected, Kanan. That usually means they ran into complications. They better come back in one piece."

AP-5 approached the group. "There is a Sheathipede shuttle approaching."

Zeb took a quick glance. "It bears Sabine's artwork. It's the Phantom !"

Hera was relieved to see Ezra, Sabine and Chopper step out of the shuttle, but she had not expected Agent Kallus to be with them. "Let me guess… Your cover was blown ?"

Kallus walked towards Commander Sato, nodding to Hera while passing by. "Unfortunately, and by Lord Vader of all people. At that point, I couldn't hide in the Imperial ranks anymore, so I came with them."

Commander Sato cupped his chin in thought. "This is unfortunate, now we'll be left in the dark about the Empire's next move. What about Captain Rex and Mina ?"

Sabine decided to answer the burning question. "Mina is now reunited with her father and Captain Rex stayed behind with them. If you spot an Imperial shuttle coming here, it's most likely them."

Ezra had to tell more good news. "But wait, there's more ! We got a transmission from General Kalani. You know, the Super Tactical Droid we encountered on Agamar ? He said he found working Separatist warships and wants to put them to good use… against the Empire !"

Commander Sato couldn't be more pleased. "A fleet of Separatist Dreadnoughts, no doubt ? Yes, we'll take all the help we can get."

AP-5 once again spotted an incoming vessel. "An Imperial shuttle is landing."

Chopper warbled excitedly. Zeb did the translation. "Chopper says it's the Tydirium. Whatever that means…"

Captain Rex stepped out, followed by Mina and Lux. Hera greeted her new guest. "Senator Bonteri ? I heard a lot about you from Captain Rex and Mina. Welcome to the Rebellion."

"Captain Syndulla, I take it ? It's a pleasure meeting you at last. Your father was always an inspiring figure during the Clone Wars. I would believe he's still busy defending Ryloth from the Empire ?"

"Father does what needs to be done. Some of his tactics may be a bit extreme, but they work." Hera beamed from hearing her father being mentioned in a positive light.

Lux scoffed. "Can't be more extreme than my old friend, Saw Gerrera. I heard he's leading his own rebellion on Jedha. I wish him the best."

AP-5 scanned the skies again. "What is this ? Another Sheathipede shuttle ?"

As the shuttle landed, everyone readied themselves. Stepping out were General Kalani and his trusty aide, B1-268. "It seems the Rebellion has chosen their Base quite well. Atollon is extremely remote and the Imperials would never think of coming here."

There was someone else inside the shuttle. When he finally stepped out, there were many shocked faces. Commander Sato couldn't believe his eyes. "G-General Grievous ?! Were you not destroyed back on Utapau by the end of the Clone War ?"

"I was, but I am back and I will have my vengeance on Lord Sidious. He will pay for pulling my strings." He growled.

Zeb's jaw dropped to the floor. "Karabast ! You're the commander of the Separatist Droid Army… you've caused so many deaths in so many systems !"

Grievous walked towards the Lasat, standing over him. "The Republic had also caused damage ! They are guilty of destruction as much as we were !"

Captain Rex cautiously approached Grievous. "He's right. Both sides had their share of carnage. It's a shame neither side knew we were all being used to help the Sith take over the Galaxy. Had I known the Supreme Chancellor was a Sith Lord in disguise… I would have gladly sent a blaster bolt through him. So, General… I take it you're calling a truce with myself as well as the Jedi ?" He offered to shake hands with the droid general.

Grievous shook Captain Rex's hand, surprising everyone. "Agreed ! But only because you're against the Empire as well !" He approached Kanan and Ezra. "I don't recall seeing you two on the battlefield…"

"I became a Padawan a day before the clones turned against the Jedi. Ezra here, was born on Empire Day, so you were already defeated by Master Kenobi before either of us could be present." Kanan explained.

Grievous produced a hologram of the new Malevolence. "I present you the Malevolence Mark-II. It's as large as a Super Star Destroyer and its larger Ion Cannon can wrap several Star Destroyers in one shot. Should the Empire get the upper hand, this will be our secret weapon."

Rex couldn't hide his excitement. "With that vessel… we could draw out Grand Admiral Thrawn and finally catch him off-guard !"

"Before we go any further, let's see what High Command has to say." Hera pressed a button and the holograms of Senators Bail Organa and Mon Mothma became visible.

Senator Organa immediately noticed what was out of place. "General Grievous ?! What is he doing at the Rebel Base ?"

Ezra stepped in to explain. "Kalani found his remains and managed to bring him back to life. With him on our side, we have what remains of the Separatist Fleet at our disposal."

Senator Mothma expressed her doubts. "This used to be the most feared enemy of the Republic. Are you sure it's wise to trust him ?"

Rex intervened. "Senator, if I may. If Grievous is able to call a truce with myself as well as the Jedi, I think we can and should trust him. All those droids would be a good thing to have on our side, given how dark these times are."

"It appears we have little choice. We need all available ships to help for our common cause. I never thought I'd hear myself saying this… Welcome to the Rebellion, General Grievous." Senator Organa's hologram faded out.

Senator Mothma still had her doubts. "Against my better judgement, I'll follow Senator Organa's example. May your contributions to the Rebellion help bring us peace." Her hologram phased out.

Kanan stroked his beard in thought. "Hmm… if we want to ambush Thrawn, we'll have to reveal our location. It's a dangerous tactic… If we can catch him before he alerts Tarkin, Pryce or any other high-ranking Imperials, we will surely gain a good step ahead in the direction of peace. Who's with me ?"

Hera shook her head. "We are not revealing ourselves to the Empire, Kanan ! We suffered through too many losses and we can't afford to have to seek out another location for the Rebellion."

Rex paced around the communication table. "If we're going to want a good chance against Thrawn and his fleet, we'll need lots of reinforcements. We have to give the rest of the Rebel Fleet time to meet with us here."

Sabine produced a hologram of the newly produced Tie Defender. "This new Fighter has shields against all types of lasers. Nothing will get through it. If we can't get that Fighter out of commission, there's nothing we can do against Thrawn's fleet !"

Lux snapped his fingers. "I believe I know a way… Back during the Clone Wars, we were trained to battle Destroyers using Droid Poppers, rolling them under their shields."

Rex wrapped an arm around Lux. "I see where you're going with this, Bonteri. Problem is, we can't really use Droid Poppers in space."

Kalani quickly came up with an alternative. "I calculate that a missile loaded with Buzz Droids, shot from a speeding Vulture Droid, have a 2% chance of successfully traversing the shields in deep space."

Rex chuckled. "Ha ha ha ! See ? See ?! That's why these Super Tactical Droids gave us such problems during the Clone Wars ! That suggestion is BRILLIANT !" He turned back to Kalani. "No offense meant, by the way."

Kalani didn't seem bothered. "None taken, Captain. I calculate the odds of the Empire discovering this base to be set at 0.04%. It may take some time before we can attempt this strategy against the new enemy fighter."

Ezra rubbed his hands excitedly. "So, let's say that the Empire finds us, we rush out to meet with Thrawn's fleet. While we're fighting against normal Tie-Fighters, they send in that new one. At that point, we call in for Separatist reinforcements. Say those Buzz Droids take out that new Fighter. Thrawn finally comes out, then what ?"

Grievous cackled greatly. "Simple, little Jedi. We unveil the Malevolence Mark-II. They won't suspect it and they won't be able to react before more than half of their fleet is incapacitated."

Hera turned to everyone, her arms crossed. "I don't like this. But it's a strategy that's almost fail-safe. We'll go with it. BUT only IF the Empire discovers our location. Ok ?"

Kanan nodded. "Good enough for me. The hard part will be keeping Thrawn's attention focused on us while the Separatist Fleet deals with the Imperial Fleet on their end."

 **Grand Admiral Thrawn's Office**

"According to the tracker, Agent Kallus is currently on Atollon. A remote location indeed, but is it where the Rebel Base is located ?" Thrawn paced around his desk, holopad in hand.

Governor Arihnda Pryce slammed her fist on Thrawn's desk, clearly irritated. "Why are you hesitating ?! This must be the Rebel Base !"

"How can you be so certain, Governor ? Perhaps they are only convening there to fill up their fuel in order to continue their trip further into space…"

Tarkin walked inside the office. "I must agree with Thrawn, Governor Pryce. I would prefer to be absolutely certain of the secret location before wasting resources. With Agent Kallus removed from the ISB, I'm afraid we can only spare Admiral Konstantine to be your second-in-command."

Thrawn scoffed at the suggestion. "Admiral Konstantine ? He has failed under my watch too many times, Grand Moff. I would require someone more reliable. Perhaps Lord Vader himself could join my fleet ?"

"Lord Vader ? Well… I'm not sure if the Emperor hasn't already set up a mission for him… Let's find out." Tarkin activated his comlink.

The cold voice of Darth Vader came through. "What is it ?"

"Excuse my sudden interruption, Lord Vader. Has the Emperor assigned you to any mission ?"

"No. What is it that you request of me, Grand Moff Tarkin ?"

"Thrawn requests your assistance in finding the Rebel Base. Would you be willing to join him ?"

"Very well. The Executor will meet with the 7th Fleet in a couple of rotations. I trust the Grand Admiral can wait that long ?"

"Of course, Lord Vader. Thrawn will await your arrival." The transmission ended.

Thrawn sat on his chair, rubbing his hands in anticipation. "With Lord Vader with us, our odds of discovering the hidden Rebel Base… and destroying the Rebels… have increased dramatically. Thank you for your concern, Governor Pryce. Lord Vader and I will quell the Rebellion once and for all."

 **Ruins of Dol Guldur, Arda**

Almost a week passed since Gandalf and Ahsoka left Minas Tirith. She was finally arriving at her destination where she would purge herself of her inner darkness as well as doubt and guilt.

Before she crossed the narrow stone bridge to the abandoned fortress, Gandalf gave some useful advice. "The most important thing I can tell you, Lady Tano, is to not trust what you see. At every turn lurks deceit. Clear your mind and trust your instincts. At the very center of the fortress is where you'll have your test of Strength of Light. If your Light shines true, you shall succeed. Fail to gather the Light… and darkness will surely consume you. Now go, don't look back."

"Thank you for your guidance, Gandalf. Here goes nothing." She began to make her way through the thin narrow bridge. Once she entered the ruins, she could feel the prevailing darkness of the fortress. Her montrals caught the sound of eerie cackling, echoing through the passages and walls.

She passed many steel cages containing skeletons of many dwarf, man or other that were likely tortured by Sauron's forces long ago. She cautiously stepped forward and finally found the entrance to the middle of the fortress. All of a sudden, the wind stopped blowing and silence was the only sound heard. What she saw shocked her.

Padmé Amidala stood in front of her, near the center of the room. "Padmé ?"

"Ahsoka ? Is that really you ? You've… grown up."

Ahsoka chuckled. "Heh, it had to happen at some point or other…"

"I've wanted to see you again… I'm so glad…" Padmé walked up to Ahsoka and slapped her across the face. "That's for leaving Anakin ! How could you ?!"

Ahsoka's eyes looked on in complete shock. "You've hit me… You… you never hit me before !"

"You deserved it !" A voice rang out from the distance. It was Anakin, before he became Darth Vader.

Ahsoka took a few steps back. "A-Anakin ?! No… you can't… you're a Sith Lord now…"

He pointed menacingly at her. "BECAUSE OF YOU ! WHEN I NEEDED YOU, YOU WEREN'T THERE ! You selfish, incompetent, thankless… BRAT !"

She swallowed. "I made my choice ! I couldn't go back ! Not then ! Not now ! You brought the Order down with you !"

"I have never been so disappointed in you, Little 'Soka. You have lost your path, young one."

Ahsoka couldn't believe her eyes. Her father figure, Plo Koon, was criticising her choice. "Master Plo… I… I didn't mean… The trial scarred me… I couldn't go back…"

"You have brought shame to the Order. I should've let that Zygerrian Slaver take you after all… We would have all been better off without you."

Ahsoka had tears streaming down her face. "N-no ! Y-you don't mean that !"

"And I thought Jedi were Peacekeepers, Protectors…" Mina Bonteri, Lux's mother, stepped out of the shadows.

"Then what are we, Senator ?" Ahsoka asked.

Mina frowned deeply at her would-be daughter-in-law. "Warmongers, Deceivers… You weren't able to prevent my son from being tortured by the Empire. You weren't even present for the majority of your child's early years ! What kind of cruel monster are you ?! At least my grand-daughter, named in my honor, is already more reliable than you'll ever be !"

"I had my reasons ! Lux understood, even if Mina didn't at the time ! I made an effort to see her once every month !"

Senator Organa appeared near Mina. "I have to say that I'm very disappointed in you, Ahsoka Tano. I had given you important responsibilities… and you just disappear out of the blue when we need you the most ! You didn't even bother to tell us that you survived Darth Vader. What is it with you ?! Are you giving up our dream for Peace ?!"

"Right now, my family needs me more. I'm sorry ! I'm so sorry !" Ahsoka fell on her knees, the guilt of her actions beginning to devour her.

Ahsoka rose her head, just to see Hera walk into the room, looking very angry. "Hera… I… I'm so sorry for what happened to Kanan…"

"Shut up ! You're a Jedi ! How could you not sense Maul's intentions when he was right next to you ?! Because of your inaction, Kanan is blind for the rest of his life ! He can never see me again… Do you have any idea how that feels ?!"

Before she could answer, Saw Gerrera stepped in. "Does she even care ?! She let my sister Steela die just so she could have Bonteri for herself !"

Ahsoka tensed up. "You know that's not true ! I loved and respected your sister ! I RISKED MY LIFE FOR HER !"

"Distracted, you were. Saving the boy was your priority, hmm ? Blinded by emotions for Bonteri you were, to not sense the canon that severed your link to the Force." Master Yoda walked in, looking with saddened eyes.

"It was an accident ! There was NO way I could…" Ahsoka began to argue before Yoda cut her off.

"Your feelings at the time, easy to read, they were. Jealousy, you felt for Steela kissing the boy, yes ?"

Ahsoka slumped her shoulders in defeat. "What does it matter ? You all hate me… I tried to please everyone… and I failed…"

A last voice, eerily familiar, rang out in the mist. "And all that pain could have been avoided if you had killed Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi when you were "gifted" with the Power of the Dark Side." Her younger self, from the latter part of the Clone Wars appeared, with dark veins covering her body and yellow eyes.

"Y… you're me ?! Yes… I remember now. Mortis. The Son taking me. You're myself under his influence !"

Her Darkside self laughed evilly. "There's still time… Let's face it… You WANT to be with Anakin… You cling on to the past so desperately… All you have to do is give yourself to the Dark Side and you'll be with him. It'll be like… old times… Give the Emperor what he wants. Tell them of the remaining Jedi. You know where they are. Why bother protecting them ? They're all going to die eventually. If you pledge your loyalty to the Empire, you know that your life will be spared. It's a win-win situation."

Ahsoka stood up, now realizing the deception taking place. "No… no… NO ! This is a trick ! You're not real ! None of you are real !"

All the familiar faces melted into the mist. In their place, stood the Shades of the Nine.

Their leader, the Witch-King of Angmar readied his blade. " _ **This one is stronger than we anticipated. Her Light shimmers. We must extinguish it !**_ "

His second-in-command, Khamûl, once great King of Rhûn, agreed with his superior. " _ **The Darkness will claim her. The Light is fading…**_ "

Soon, Ahsoka was surrounded by the Shades. "If it's a fight you all want…" She ignited her white lightsabers. "You've got it !"

All of them attempted to break through her defense. The ever-present darkness gave them strength, making their swords, axes, maces and spears solid and unbreakable, even by lightsaber. One by one, she managed to break through their onslaught and defeated them.

When only the Witch-King remained, he produced an enormous flail. " _ **Do you truly possess the Strength of Light within you ? It is only granted if you can defeat me !**_ "

Ahsoka parried his blows with her lightsabers, eventually she gained an opening and thrusted her lightsaber through the Witch-King's helmet, defeating it.

When the last Shade turned into mist, Ahsoka dropped on her knees, panting heavily. As she turned her gaze to the entrance of the area, she saw Gandalf looking at her, smiling proudly.

"Well done, Lady Tano. You have passed your test with flying colors. You resisted the Darkness and purged yourself from guilt. How do you feel ?"

She collected her lightsabers, placing them on their hilts. She couldn't help herself from smiling. "I feel… I feel great ! I no longer feel guilty for leaving Anakin. I've come to accept that things happened for a reason. Anakin will be redeemed eventually… I'm simply not the person who will do it. I can live with that."

Gandalf helped her up. "To come to terms with one's past… and be at peace with it… is one of the hardest tasks anyone can attempt. Some try all their lives… and never manage to find their inner-peace."

"I haven't felt this good in a very long time. It's a wonderful feeling ! Thank you Gandalf, for all your help." She hugged him tightly.

"Then my task is done. You ought to return to your family and friends. I'm sure they all miss you." Gandalf offered to ride her back to her ship.

A couple of days later and she stood besides her A-Wing. "It's been quite a journey. If I ever return, I'll bring my family to see this beautiful world."

Gandalf gave her a sad look. "I'm afraid that by the time you come back, milady, I'll be gone at the Undying Lands. The good people of Rohan and Gondor will still be here. No doubt you and your family will be well-received should you return. Farewell, Lady of the Stars." He shook hands with her.

As she started the engines, she waved to him before she finally took to the atmosphere and space. Once in space, she entered the coordinates for Atollon. "Now that I'm free of guilt, it's time to reunite with my family, the Ghost Crew… and the Rebellion."

In a short while, she would be greeted with open arms by all… even several she once considered to be her worst enemies.

 **Hooray ! Ahsoka is finally cleared of her guilt and managed to rid herself of whatever darkness remained within her. The battle with the Shades is obviously based upon the scene in The Hobbit : The Battle of The Five Armies. In it, Saruman and Elrond fought the Shades of the Nine while Galadriel banished Sauron from Dol Guldur, forcing him to flee to Mordor. Has any of you saw the return of the Malevolence coming ? I thought that vessel looked amazing in the Clone Wars series. Over the next chapter, the Rebellion unites completely and begin to plan their attack on Thrawn. With Darth Vader, things may get a little tense for our heroes. Feel free to leave a review.**


	6. Gatherings and Preparations for Battle

**Secret Rebel Base Headquarters, Atollon**

The Ghost Crew and members of High Command were gathered around the communication/planning table. Agent Kallus was discussing about Thrawn's recent plans. "The Tie-Defender, constructed on Lothal, is truly one of a kind. While it has the same lasers as normal Tie-Fighters, not only is it fitted with a deflector shield to block all our attempts, it also has missiles at its disposal and also a hyperdrive. When Thrawn chooses to unleash this on the Rebel Fleet, we'll have to make quick work of it. The Super Tactical Droid's plan of covering it with Separatist Buzz Droids is our only option to destroy it, I'm afraid. We can only hope those droids will work quick enough before the pilot engages the jump to hyperspace."

Captain Rex quickly relieved Kallus of worries. "From what I remember of Buzz Droids, is that they can disable any small vessel in a matter of seconds. First thing they do is shut down all the controls so the pilot is stuck in space. After that, they usually crack open the cockpit and out goes the pilot… to certain death."

"We will provide the Vulture Droids an escort of Droid Gunships to maximise our odds." Kalani provided a hologram of Droid Gunship schematics. "Nothing short of missiles can break through their ray shield."

Lux gave a stern look towards Kalani, remembering Steela's death. "When these Gunships attacked us on Onderon, we were caught by surprise and powerless to act against them… Until we were supplied with rocket launchers from a certain Hondo Ohnaka… on the behalf of Master Skywalker, if my memory serves me right."

AP-5 broke the meeting. "We have an unregistered A-Wing landing. Should anyone investigate ?"

The Ghost Crew, followed by Lux, Mina, Kallus and Kalani went to the landing pad. Once the mystery pilot was revealed, most dropped their jaws in shock.

Rex rubbed his eyes to ensure he wasn't hallucinating. "Commander ! Welcome back !"

Mina came running towards her. "MOM ! Oh, I've missed you !" She leapt into Ahsoka's arms.

Ahsoka tightened her embrace over her daughter. "I've missed you too, sweetie. Thank the Force you're well !"

As Mina broke away from her mother, Lux slowly approached his wife. "Ahsoka… you truly are a sight for sore eyes ! I trust that Master Yoda was able to advise you on getting rid of your guilt ?"

Ahsoka moved a finger towards her, signaling Lux to get closer. When Lux was a couple of inches from her, she grabbed him and wasted no moment to kiss him, gaining applause from everyone. "I'm so glad you're all right ! To answer your question, Master Yoda could do little, but he pointed me to another direction. A distant planet with no knowledge of space travel named Arda. There I met a wise man by the name of Gandalf The White. He guided me through a "test" of sorts so I could purge myself of my guilt for having left Anakin all those years ago.

It was an unsettling scene. I saw Senator Amidala, Anakin, Master Plo Koon, your mother, Senator Organa, Hera, Saw, Master Yoda and finally… myself when I was temporarily under the influence of the Dark Side. These were illusions that were designed to break whatever righteousness I had left. The words they said hurt. I was blamed for the fate of the Galaxy, but I knew I wasn't responsible since Anakin made the choice to turn to the Dark Side willingly. The reason as to why ? I guess I'll never really know.

Once I realized that the illusions weren't real, I was faced with 9 wraith-like apparitions. I battled against them all, defeating them one by one. After the last one was defeated, the feeling of guilt just disappeared."

Rex took his chance to ask questions of his own. "We're all glad you're back with us, safe and sound. How did you survive Vader ? Why didn't you tell us you were all right ?"

She took a deep breath before answering. "While the Sith Temple was crumbling with Vader and myself in the middle of it all, I lost my footing and fell several meters down, to be "conveniently" covered by a large rock. This is what saved me not only from Vader, but also the explosion which followed. I huddled myself and used my lightsabers to absorb the most of the blast coming my way. Then, I fell into unconsciousness.

When I came to, Vader was gone. He was likely picked up by an Imperial Shuttle nearby. So, after I went through what wounds I suffered during the battle, I limped to an abandoned Tie-Fighter, which was probably one of the Inquisitors'. I was fortunate to find a still-functioning transmitter. The pain by the sprained ankle hurt greatly, but I knew that I had no chances of survival lest I called for help. At that point, I had quite the dilemma on my hands. Contact the Rebellion, risking the Empire not only knowing that I survived, but also the location of the Rebel Base… or contact my family and hopefully get a lift in a few weeks time.

As you all can guess, I chose the latter option. When I saw Lux entering the ruins of the Sith Temple 2 weeks later, I was starving and dehydrated. A bit more and I would have surely died. Once I arrived on Onderon with Lux and Saw, I took the next several months to recover. There were times I wanted to contact Senator Organa and let him know that I was fine. Once I saw that I was listed as "Deceased", I chose to let things be and focus more on Mina's training. From the moment I was brought back to Onderon until I left for Dagobah, I was plagued with nightmares of that vision I saw in the Lothal Jedi Temple. Of Anakin blaming me for his fall, which made me realize he became Darth Vader."

Agent Kallus faced the previous Fulcrum. "Until I became involved, I must say you did an admirable job of providing the Rebels information and supplies. Do you think there will be need for a third informant ?"

"I can't say, but I feel that Lux has something he wants to say." She motioned to her husband. "Ok Lux, the floor is yours."

Lux cleared his throat before speaking. "This is something that had escaped my mind until now. I know that you're all worried about Thrawn's dedication to snuff us out and defeat us. And that new Tie-Defender will certainly make things more difficult. While the lot of you will disagree with my statement, Thrawn is truly the least of our worries. The Empire is secretly working on a massive battle station, formed like a moon. It has a super-laser capable of destroying planets. They appropriately named it the Death Star. As far as I'm aware, it's still not completed, but when it will be, the Rebellion will be in even greater danger than they are now…"

Kanan seemed unconvinced. "And you know this how ?"

"When I was still considered an Imperial Senator, I was part of a group of people whom were invited to a special presentation about the Empire's upcoming military strategies. When the Death Star segment came up, Advanced Weapon Research Director Orson Krennic spoke about this terrifying weapon's capabilities. When one of the Senators asked him why it wasn't complete, Krennic stated that he lacked the necessary Kyber Crystals as well as his head designer had left him some time ago, a certain Galen Erso. I was offered a data disc and asked to have it delivered to Grand Moff Tarkin himself. Of course, I took the precaution of copying it in case it might be important information the Rebellion could use. Once it was delivered, I was "gifted" with the Imperial shuttle you see here. When I took a closer look at it back at home, this wasn't the Death Star plans at all. It was merely basic schematics. So I'm afraid the trail goes cold from here."

Agent Kallus paced around the group. "While former Senator Bonteri is not lying about the Empire's true secret weapon, there have been far too many setbacks so I doubt it'll be completed anytime soon. I would suggest that we prepare ourselves for an eventual Imperial attack. If High Command hasn't decided yet, we ought to have at least part of the Rebel Fleet orbiting Atollon… just in case."

"Let's talk with Senator Organa and Senator Mothma again, shall we ?" Hera offered.

Ahsoka's headtails darkened momentarily. "I'll have a lot of explaining to do I'm afraid…" She walked over to the communication/planning table. There was a "droid" with its back turned that seemed eerily familiar, when it turned to face Ahsoka, she got quite a surprise.

"G-Grievous ?! What the Force are you doing amongst the Rebels ?! Moreover, didn't Master Kenobi defeat you on Utapau ? The Holonet had the news everywhere about it !"

Grievous slowly approached her. "Do I know you ?" He suddenly remembered. "You're that Jedi brat that destroyed my Listening Station on Ruu-San, aren't you ?! You're not as small as I remember you…"

She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes towards him. "Well, I grew up, like everyone. And don't forget, I also prevented you from slaughtering a group of Younglings back on Florrum, Grumpy !"

"Still as brash as ever, I see. I take it you're on the same side as that clone and these Jedi ?" He pointed to Rex, Kanan and Ezra.

She frowned at him. "Of course ! Why else would I be here ?"

Grievous offered his hand to shake. "In that case, any enemy of the Empire is a friend of mine ! Truce ?"

She shook his hand. "Truce. I have to say, like once I've told Ventress… I never saw us ever doing anything together. Ever."

Hera cleared her throat, asking for everyone to be silent. "With Grievous at our side, we have a small fleet of Separatist warships and loads of battle droids at our disposal. And even with all that, I get the feeling Thrawn will still have something to pull the odds on his side. Agent Kallus, once working as undercover as the informant "Fulcrum" suggest that we call on a small part of the Rebel Fleet should Thrawn manage to find our location."

"Grand Admiral Thrawn, the Chiss Imperial Tactician ?" Ahsoka raised an eye marking. "I haven't dealt with him, but I've heard he's pretty efficient when it comes to securing any planet for the Empire."

Ezra scoffed. "We've dealt with him more times that we'd want. So far, we keep managing to escape capture by him."

Ahsoka sighed deeply. "It's a ploy to lower your guard. He's gathering all the necessary information he needs before making his strike. The Force is telling me that he's on the verge of attacking us. He knows."

A small beeping sounded from Kallus' comlink. Too low for most to register, but Ahsoka heard it loud and clear. She quickly grabbed Kallus' arm and tore off his comlink.

"What are you doing ?! Why are you taking my comlink ?" Kallus felt fear going through him.

Ahsoka ripped open the comlink and took out the tracking chip. "This here is a tracking chip ! So now Thrawn knows you're here ! He likely suspects that the Rebel Base is here as well !" With a swift closing of her fist, she crushed the chip, ending its use.

Hera grabbed Kallus and was about to punch him in the face. "You lousy traitor ! You set us up !"

Kallus shook his head in disbelief. "No… Don't jump to conclusions yet ! I had no knowledge nor consent of having this chip fitted in there ! The Grand Admiral must have done it himself while I was last asleep on the Executor. Once I noticed how coldly I was received following my time with Zeb on that ice moon, I knew that switching sides was the right thing to do. Please believe me. I would never attempt to ruin our chances at overthrowing our enemy."

Kanan grabbed hold of Hera's shoulders, trying to calm her down. "He's not lying, Hera. He didn't know. Now that means the Empire will surely come here. Call up High Command and request for reinforcements."

Hera pressed a button and the holograms of Senator Organa and Senator Mothma were visible. The two gasped loudly when they saw Ahsoka amongst the rebels.

"Ahsoka Tano ! You survived ?! I was told that Darth Vader had killed you…" Senator Organa showed definite relief on his face.

"I got lucky, Senator. There were beneficial circumstances that saved my life… from certain death. I'm sorry I didn't contact you. I thought it best to lay low for some time and focus on my family." She answered.

Senator Mothma was overjoyed. "Now that you've returned to us, we will need your piloting skills. Aside Master Skywalker, you were the next best pilot in the time of the Republic."

Ahsoka chuckled at the remark. "That's stretching it a bit, Senator. But yes, I'll gladly do my part in the Rebel Fleet. Is there a particular squadron you want me to lead ?"

Lux walked over to her, wrapping an arm around her. "Why don't we make our own squadron ? Just consisting the two of us on my Imperial shuttle ?"

She smirked at him. "Well, dear. If that's what you want, we'll go with it. But on one condition."

Lux raised an eyebrow. "And what condition would that be… sweetheart ?"

"I'll be the main pilot, you'll be the co-pilot. Deal ?"

Lux turned his glance towards Mina. "And what about her ?"

Hera walked over to Mina, wrapping an arm around her. "She always wanted to pilot a ship. Now that we've got a vacant A-Wing thanks to Ahsoka, I say we give her the opportunity."

Commander Sato heartily agreed. "I think that's a wonderful idea. Mina Bonteri, welcome to Phoenix Squadron !"

"Thank you, General Syndulla and Commander Sato. I won't let you down ! I promise." Mina walked over to Ahsoka's personal A-Wing.

Suddenly, Senator Organa came up with an idea. "Could we also make Agent Kallus a member of Phoenix Squadron ?

Kallus shook his head. "I thank you for your generous offer, however, I lack any and all training piloting ships. My training with the ISB was mainly to deal with riots against the Empire. Perhaps I could help out with planning the counterattack. Spending time with Grand Admiral Thrawn has taught me the basics of war strategy. At least I wouldn't feel completely out of place…"

Senator Mothma assigned Kallus to duty. "War strategy, you say ? Very well, you'll serve as the assistant to Admiral Raddus for leading the attack."

Kallus bowed respectfully before the hologram. "I thank you for your good faith, Senator. When should I expect this… Admiral Raddus ?"

"He is being sent to your location as we speak. Good luck in your struggle." Senator Mothma's hologram phased out.

"Well, it seems you all have plenty of work ahead of you all. May the Force be with you." Senator Organa's hologram phased out on its turn.

 **Aboard Thrawn's Star Destroyer**

Thrawn had just happened to check up on the tracker's status. "Offline ? So the Rebels must have found and destroyed my tracking chip. According to the last checkup a rotation ago, Agent Kallus was still on Atollon. Without a doubt, this is where their Rebel Base is located."

Vader walked on the bridge, meeting him. "So they know we are tracking them. They will certainly amass a small fleet to protect their base."

Thrawn joined Vader near the viewport. "I certainly hope so, Lord Vader. By suspecting that Agent Kallus was an undercover spy for the Rebellion, I've turned him from an obstacle to an asset. Once a portion of the Rebel Fleet arrives to face us, we'll unleash the new Tie-Defender. With its 6 laser turrets, missiles and deflector shield, that lone ship might be just what we need to tear the Rebel Fleet apart. Without a fleet to fight against the Empire, like a tree without water to sustain it, the Rebellion will wither and die. You may direct your fleet towards Atollon, Lord Vader. This battle should prove… entertaining for us."

 **Secret Rebel Base Headquarters, Atollon**

An Alderaanian cruiser landed near the edge of the base. Several Humans and Mon Calamari stepped out.

Commander Sato greeted his guests. "Admiral Raddus, a pleasure to see you again. Thank you for being able to reach us so quickly."

Raddus shook hands with Sato. "So you suspect an impending Imperial attack ?"

"Yes, a tracking chip was fitted secretly in our informant's comlink. While the Empire won't be able to track us anymore, we'll have to move our supplies and ships elsewhere." Sato answered.

Raddus produced a hologram of a planet. "Thanks to the tireless efforts of Senator Organa and Senator Mothma, we have been able to find an alternative planet to use as our base of operations. This is Yavin IV. It's currently unpopulated and completely ignored by the Empire."

"So now, our real worry is to survive the coming battle. We protect the base. Once the Imperial threat is dealt with, we move out to that new location. Hopefully from there, we'll be able to strike without having to move again." Hera couldn't help but preparing herself and her team ahead of time.

Agent Kallus approached the Mon Calamari. "Admiral Raddus, I take it ? Senator Mothma must have said a few words about me."

"You're Agent Kallus, the Imperial defector ? Welcome aboard ! Your knowledge of war strategy will be of great use to us." Raddus took to Kallus immediately.

Elsewhere, Ezra, Ahsoka and Mina were talking about the upcoming battle. Mina was testing the controls of her mother's A-Wing. "This is so exciting, Mom ! My first participation in a space battle, against the Empire no less !"

Ahsoka looked up to her daughter. "You be careful out there ! Try not to mess up my ship."

Mina laughed. "Ha ha ha ! Don't worry, Mom ! I'll take good care of her. She… she won't get a scratch !"

Ahsoka raised an eye marking. "Not a scratch, huh ? That's a tall order to fill !"

Mina rolled her eyes, frustrated. "Oh, will you get going already ? I think I hear Dad calling you."

Ahsoka leapt with the Force on top of the A-Wing by Mina, hugging her. "Hey, come back to us, you hear ?"

Mina nodded. "I will, Mom. I promise."

Ahsoka left off with Ezra towards the Ghost. "You seem in decent humor, Ezra."

Ezra rubbed his hands together excitedly. "I would love to see Thrawn's face when Grievous arrives with the Malevolence. It'll be priceless !"

She smirked at him. "I'm pretty sure that Thrawn isn't expecting Separatist backup… at all. Seeing his precious Tie-Defender being torn apart by Buzz Droids will be a major victory for us… assuming they get through the deflector shield. Remember, Kalani said he predicted only a 2% chance of actually succeeding."

They both took to their respective vessels, awaiting the inevitable confrontation.

 **Sneaked a chapter mid-week, how about that ? And there's a few Rogue One characters mentioned and present. Over the next chapter, the faction of the Rebel Fleet lead by Admiral Raddus will face off against Vader and Thrawn's forces. Expect a major space battle with lots of interesting twists. Feel free to leave a review.**


	7. The Battle of Atollon

**Secret Rebel Base Headquarters, Atollon**

Hera ran to the communication/planning table, meeting with a Rebel named Adam. "Adam, any sign of Imperials yet ?"

Adam pressed a button which activated a large hologram showing Atollon's orbit. "Several Star Destroyers and a Super Star Destroyer just came out of hyperspace, General Syndulla."

"They're already here ! I have to organize Phoenix Squadron immediately !" Hera ran over to her pilots. "Wedge, Hobbie, Mina and Jeremy, the Imperials have entered the system ! Get your ships, hurry !"

Mina jumped into the cockpit and began flight ignition. "What's my designation again ?"

"Mina, you're Phoenix 4. Wedge is Phoenix 2, Hobbie is Phoenix 3 and Jeremy is Phoenix 5. Are you ready ?"

Mina let out a nervous laugh. "If I ain't now, I'll never be."

Hera rallied her teammates. "Zeb, Chopper, Sabine, Kanan, Ezra ! Get in the Ghost, pronto ! We're moving out in 5 minutes !"

Inside the cockpit of the Tydirium, Lux fought against his nervousness. "I've never taken part in a space battle before. Have you, 'Soka ?"

"Yes, Lux. Almost a year ago when I was with the Ghost Crew when they were followed by Darth Vader. Phoenix Squadron was nearly destroyed by him singlehandedly. It's also the battle when I sensed Anakin deep within Vader. Let's say the shock was overwhelming and I fainted. Now, I'll be doing most of the flying. I'm counting on you not only to support me with the flight, but also to shoot down any upcoming Tie-Fighters. Are you ready for this ?" Ahsoka began the flight ignition.

Lux gulped. "Well… The only prior experience in warfare was during the Battle of Onderon during the Clone Wars. I'll do my best, 'Soka."

Admiral Raddus brought Agent Kallus and Commander Sato to his flagship, the Profundity. "Welcome aboard the Profundity… Commander Kallus." Everyone cheered and applauded Kallus' sudden promotion and official entry into the folds of the Rebellion.

Kallus was indeed surprised by the huge amount of trust for him, despite having served the Empire since it's early beginnings. "I thank you for your generosity, Admiral." All 3 Rebel leaders convened around a hologram showing both Rebels and Imperials about to face off. "We'll be swarmed at first by typical Tie-Fighters. After a while, I would expect Thrawn to unleash his new "toy" on our fleet. That'll be the cue to call for General Kalani's Separatist Fleet. If the going still gets tough afterwards, General Grievous will finish off the remainder of the Imperial Fleet… and hopefully Grand Admiral Thrawn along with it, using the Malevolence." Kallus explained.

 **Aboard Thrawn's Star Destroyer**

Thrawn and Vader gathered around a hologram of the Rebel and Imperial fleets. Thrawn noticed something was amiss. "This can't be the entire Rebel Fleet. We'll have to wait until the rest gather with them before unleashing the Tie-Defender." He turned to the Commander of Skystrike Academy, known for producing the Empire's finest pilots. "Commander Relik, I trust you have had sufficient time to test out all of the Defender's capabilities ?"

Commander Relik stood straight and proud. "Yes, Admiral ! It'll be an honor for me to take this new Tie-Defender on its maiden voyage. I'm confident that the deflector shield will keep me quite safe."

Vader paced around the pilot. "Careful to not drown in overconfidence, Commander Relik. These Rebels have proven to be quite adept at avoiding capture and destruction. They may find a way, however unlikely, to get through the defenses."

"Lord Vader, I'll see to it that the Rebel Fleet gets torn apart before they get that chance !" Relik left for his ship, waiting his cue to take part in the upcoming battle.

 **Atollon's Orbit**

The Profundity faced the Star Destroyers from a safe distance. Admiral Raddus sat on his chair, commencing the attack. "This is Admiral Raddus of the Rebel Alliance ! All fighters, call in !"

Hera was the first to respond. "Phoenix Leader, standing by !"

"Phoenix 2, standing by !"

"Phoenix 3, standing by !"

"Phoenix 4, standing by !"

"Phoenix 5, standing by !"

"Blue Leader, standing by !"

"Blue 2, standing by !"

"Blue 3, standing by !"

"Blue 4, standing by !"

"Blue 5, standing by !"

"Red Leader, standing by !"

"Red 2, standing by !"

"Red 3, standing by !"

"Red 4, standing by !"

"Red 5, standing by !"

Ahsoka and Lux were the last to call in. "Shuttle Tydirium, standing by !"

A slew of Tie-Fighters came pouring out of the Star Destroyers.

"All fighters, intercept !" Raddus looked at the upcoming battle from the bridge.

Hera lead everyone and began to shoot first. "Ok, everyone, make Mom and Dad proud ! Phoenix Squadron, follow my lead ! Red and Blue Teams, do what you can against the Star Destroyers."

Mina had already shot down a couple of Tie-Fighters on her own. "This is too easy ! Are they even trying ?"

"Cut the chatter, Phoenix 4 ! Focus your fire on those Ties, don't let your guard down !" Hera shouted through the comm.

Thrawn looked at the hologram, noticing the Ties disappearing rather quickly. "It appears our pilots would require a bit of help." He turned to Vader. "By all means, Lord Vader, go and give Commander Relik a hand." He pressed a button. "Commander Relik, you may begin your attack."

Sato and Kallus looked at the battle taking place. "As I suspected, the Tie-Defender has been unleashed. That modified Tie… it must be Darth Vader." The latter noted.

Sato pressed a button. "Attention, Phoenix Squadron, Blue Team and Red Team. Darth Vader and the Tie-Defender have entered the fray ! I repeat, Darth Vader and the Tie-Defender have entered the fray !"

Hera made a snap decision. "Copy that, Commander. Blue Team, Red Team, new orders ! Break away from the Star Destroyers and focus fire on the new Tie-Defender ! Beware of its weaponry and deflector shield !"

"Copy, Phoenix Leader !" Blue Leader lead the attack, attempting to break through "It's no use, Phoenix Leader, our lasers can't pierce through the shield !"

Commander Relik prepared himself, grinning madly. "This will be an easy victory ! Lord Vader, allow me to deal with one of the Squadrons." He focused fire on Blue Team.

"Acknowledged, Commander. I'll take out the other pilots." Vader went after Red Team.

Blue Leader was targeted by a missile. "I'm hiiiiit ! Ahh !"

Red Leader was quickly destroyed by Vader. Red 2 had problems too. "My stabilizer is down ! I need backup quick !"

Within moments, the entirety of Blue and Red Team were destroyed. Kallus pressed a button. "General Kalani, we require immediate assistance ! Our fleet is being demolished by the new Tie-Defender and Vader."

Ahsoka knew she had to help out should Phoenix Squadron survive the battle. "Phoenix Squadron, protect the Profundity ! I'll deal with Darth Vader personally !"

"Copy that, Tydirium. Over." Hera lead her Squadron around the Profundity, shooting down any Ties that came too close.

Ahsoka opened her Force Bond with Vader. " _Anakin, I'm right here. The stray Imperial shuttle. Come and catch me… if you can !_ " She turned to Lux. "I'm diverting all flight controls to myself. Strap yourself, this could be a dizzying flight !"

Vader felt her presence. " _So the Apprentice still lives ?! This time, I'll make sure to end you properly._ " Vader immediately stopped firing at the Rebel ships and focused on shooting down the Tydirium.

Aboard Thrawn's Star Destroyer, Captain Slavin was overlooking the radar. "Admiral ! There's a fleet approaching the Rebels !"

Thrawn felt victory looming so close. "The remainder of the Rebel Fleet, no doubt. The destruction of the entire Rebel Fleet will be my greatest moment of triumph."

Slavin began to panic. "No, sir ! Scans indicate Separatist Dreadnoughts !"

For the first time, Thrawn was actually surprised. "This is unexpected… I had assumed all vessels from the Clone Wars had been melted down. No matter, they can't do anything against my new Tie-Defender !"

General Kalani oversaw the battle from the bridge. "This will be a day to remember in the history of the Separatist Alliance. Launch all fighters."

A myriad of Vultures, Tri-fighters and Droid Gunships began to pour out from the hangars. A specific group of a lone Vulture Droid and 3 Droid Gunship escorts focused their attention on the Tie-Defender. The Droid Gunships covered the Vulture Droid while it scanned and calculated the trajectory for the surprise missile.

Commander Relik attempted to blast the Droid Gunships with typical lasers. "Oh ? So these have a bothersome ray shield ? Let's see how they do against missiles." He shot a missile at one of the Droid Gunships, bringing it down. "All too easy !"

Hera saw this as an opportunity to turn the battle to their side. "Phoenix Squadron, new orders ! Support the Separatist fighters ! Take down as many Ties as you can !"

Jeremy was doing fairly well for himself. "The battle is definitely turning on our si-" A stray missile hit him, killing him on impact.

Mina tried to keep her focus. "Jeremy ?! JEREMY ! No ! Phoenix 5 is down ! We need to take out that Tie-Defender FAST !" She shot down a few Ties trying to intercept her.

Ahsoka was playing a game of "Follow the Leader" with Vader in hot pursuit. Thanks to Anakin teaching her his unique style of flying, she zigzagged and spun her way around while shooting down Tie-Fighters in her path and avoiding Vader's constant attack. Lux, on the other hand, wasn't doing so well. "I think I'm going to be sick !"

She quickly turned to him. "Hey, hey, hey ! Don't throw up on those seats ! Go to the refresher if you're feeling queasy !"

Lux turned to a shade of green. "Gurk ! Please excuse me !" He ran to the refresher, emptying his stomach contents.

Having completed its calculation, the Vulture Droid shot its missile. It exploded in space, allowing a number of Buzz Droids to stick on any ship unlucky to be in their path. Several managed to cling onto the Tie-Defender, traversing the deflector shield.

Kalani reported his success to the Profundity. "The Buzz Droids have attached themselves to the new fighter. It should be deactivated momentarily."

"Lord Vader, what are these small droids crawling all over my vessel ?" Commander Relik had never seen them before.

Vader remembered. "Separatist Buzz Droids ?! Shake them off ! Shake them off quickly !"

One of the droids severed a central circuit. "No ! Controls aren't responding ! Why are they gathering around my window ?" Reality struck Relik like a durasteel wall. "Oh no… No… NOOOOOOOO !" He was pulled into the vacuum of space, suffering a gruesome death.

Everybody cheered loudly as the unmanned Tie-Defender crashed into a stray meteor.

Thrawn slammed his fist on the control panel. "My prized Tie-Defender… to be destroyed by Clone Wars-era droids ?! Impossible ! We must press our attack !"

Kalani was pleased that his strategy worked, but now his fighters were being overwhelmed by Tie Fighters. "General Grievous, we would require the use of the Malevolence's Ion Cannon. The Separatist forces are being overwhelmed."

Suddenly, the Malevolence came into view. Grievous looked at the battle from the bridge. "Position the ship to fire at those Imperial cruisers."

Thrawn began to feel uneasy. "How can this be ?! The Malevolence was destroyed in the early days of the Clone Wars !" He pressed the comm button. "Attention, Tie-Bomber pilots ! Your participation in this battle is now requested. Intercept the gigantic Separatist vessel."

Vader broke off from pursuing Ahsoka. "Admiral Thrawn, I would strongly suggest to retreat while you still can. I know what that vessel is capable of !" He made a beeline towards the Executor. "Admiral Ozzel, prepare the Executor for hyperspace jump. This battle is lost. Await my arrival."

The moment Vader entered the Executor's hangar, the Super Star Destroyer entered hyperspace. Ahsoka felt immense relief. "Thank the Force for Grievous' entrance ! We've practically won the battle !"

Thrawn still wasn't going to cower and flee like Vader. "We are so close to victory. Tie-Bomber pilots, focus your firepower on that Ion Cannon."

Grievous quickly gave his orders. "We are in position ! Begin energizing plasma rotors !"

Slavin had beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. "Admiral ! There's a massive energy reading coming from that ship ! We should take Lord Vader's advice !"

Ahsoka warned everyone. "ALL MEMBERS OF THE REBEL AND SEPERATIST ALLIANCE, GET OUT OF THE WAY OF THE ION CANNON'S PATH ! I REPEAT, GET OUT OF THE WAY OF THE ION CANNON'S PATH !"

"FIRE !" The Ion blast hit the Tie-Bombers before they could reach the Malevolence and any Ties still flying about. The 3 Star Destroyers were hit as well.

The alarms blared for the Imperials. Captain Slavin took charge. "The blast removed all power from our ship ! We're dead in space ! We must make for the escape pods !"

The Malevolence fired on the opposition, destroying all Ties and the Star Destroyers. Many escape pods had been jettisoned in space, including Thrawn and Slavin's.

Raddus was very pleased with the results of the battle. "The Imperial Fleet has been decimated ! Capture all the escape pods. Try to get as many Imperials alive as possible."

Over the next few hours, a total of 84 Imperials, ranking from Stormtroopers to Admirals were captured by the Rebel Alliance. The Ghost Crew were overlooking the remains of the battle. "Admiral Raddus, there's one more escape pod left. It's probably the one with Thrawn." As they arrived to the escape pod, they came to a shocking sight. Slavin was holding up his hands in surrender. Thrawn, however, was lying on the floor, limp and lifeless.

Slavin frowned at their arrival. "You weren't going to have him, you fools ! He said "I won't let them have the satisfaction of capturing me." He shot himself in the head !"

Hera activated her comm. "Admiral Raddus, this following news must be passed out to all Rebel Cells over the Galaxy. Grand Admiral Thrawn is dead ! I repeat, Grand Admiral Thrawn is dead ! He committed suicide…"

The victory was bittersweet. While they were able to secure their base for transfer to Yavin IV, they lost all of Thrawn's knowledge of Imperial plans and weapons.

 **Woo ! I must say this sequence was fun to write ! The Empire just lost one of their most powerful leaders. With Thrawn gone, Tarkin is given complete control of the Death Star project. Over the next chapter, the Rebels move all their supplies to Yavin IV. There will also be a huge celebration for their current victory over the Empire. Feel free to leave a review.**


	8. A New Hope

**Secret Rebel Headquarters, Atollon**

Following the battle in space, the Imperials captured in the many escape pods were grouped in an area near the Ghost. For safety precautions, all were relieved of their blasters and comlinks. Kallus, a face familiar to most of them, stepped forward to address them.

"I know what most of you are thinking right now. That I'm a traitor. That I sold myself to the Rebellion. Allow me to explain how and why I chose to join them. About a year ago, a skirmish between my group and the Ghost Crew brought unforeseen… complications. I was trapped in an escape pod with the Lasat rebel, Garazeb Orrelios. We crash-landed on one of the ice moons orbiting Geonosis. Upon regaining my senses, I found out to my horror that one of my legs was broken during the crash. Now, this Lasat could have left me to die while he went off for his friends. Be he didn't. Instead, we worked together to escape our icy pit. It was an honorable thing to do. A true show of compassion. When his friends did arrive, he was welcomed back quite warmly. When I returned to the Empire, no one bothered to ask if I was hurt or cold… Tell me, do any of you recall whenever the Empire carried one of their wounded back with them ?

That's right ! Friendship and compassion are discouraged and frowned upon by the Empire. The choice which has brought me here was not an easy one. I knew the risks, but the rewards greatly outweighed them. Acting as a Rebel spy right under the nose of Governor Pryce and Grand Admiral Thrawn was… nerve-racking. In the end, Thrawn had figured out all the pieces of the puzzle. While there has been countless losses on both sides, we don't simply offer mercy to all of you. You're given a second chance. The Empire is bent on conquering the Galaxy through fear. Even destroying your homeworlds if they can achieve its goals. Can you truly stand by that practice ? You can either return back to serving the Empire or you can join our struggle to end the oppression. The choice is yours."

For several intense moments, there was nothing but eerie silence. Thrawn's aide, Captain Slavin, stepped forward. "I guess I should be honest. The only reason why I continually served the Empire is because Thrawn terrified me. I didn't think there was a way out. As my first act as defector of the Empire, I'm taking off my badge and tossing it in this sand." Slavin ripped his badge from his uniform and promptly tossed it on the ground before returning to his place. Another officer followed, another… and another. Stormtroopers removed their helmets and tossed them where the badges and medals were gathered. In a short span of time, all 85 rescued Imperials had chosen to follow Kallus' lead.

Now the grueling task of carrying supplies to various ships had begun. AP-5 looked in frustration as all his hard work of categorizing the weapons and arsenal was undone. "Well, I guess I'll have to redo the inventory all over again when we have everything placed on Yavin IV."

Several rotations later, the base was empty. Hera looked towards the horizon as the sun was setting. She let out a frustrated sigh. "And I here I thought we had a definite base. I guess it's time to move on…"

Ahsoka joined her. "Hera, don't see it like that. Sure, we've lost a good spot, but hearing from Admiral Raddus, the moon of Yavin IV is even better suited for our needs. It was going to happen eventually. As long as the Empire rules with an iron fist, we'll need to keep moving in order to muddle our trace. Things will improve, I'm sure of it !"

Both ladies took to their respective ships and looked upon the sandy soils of Atollon one last time before taking off.

 **Secret Rebel Base Headquarters, Yavin IV**

The Ghost and the Tydirium were the last ships to arrive at the new destination. As they disembarked, Senator Organa and Senator Mothma were there to greet them.

Senator Organa welcomed the Bonteri Family with open arms. "Lux, Ahsoka and Mina, welcome to our newest Rebel base."

Senator Mothma greeted the Ghost Crew. "General Syndulla, my thanks for your deep involvement in our struggles."

Hera nodded politely. "If we succeed to end the oppression of the Empire, then we'll know all those that left us didn't die in vain, Senator."

Kallus was seen walking with a stranger. They approached Ahsoka. "Ahsoka Tano, meet Cassian Andor, the newest "Fulcrum" informant."

Cassian looked quite surprised. "I never expect that both former "Fulcrum" agents were still alive. There were rumors that you, Ahsoka, had died at the hands of Darth Vader on Malachor."

She couldn't help but chuckle. "Rumors are rumors, Cassian. It's all speculation and nonsense." As Cassian left the two, Ahsoka's good humor turned to sadness.

Kallus cleared his throat. "So I guess some rumors are true… Darth Vader is Anakin Skywalker, isn't he ? I've read about him. A once decorated Hero of the Clone Wars. The Hero with no Fear. I cannot fathom as you as to how he became this… enforcer."

She choked a sob. "He made his choice as I made my own. A part of me still regrets having left him… 17 years ago. I was often his voice of reason. Had I known about Palpatine's aspirations, I would've talked sense into Anakin. On the other hand, after how the High Council treated me, I couldn't go back and pretend that everything was all right. Because it wasn't. By leaving, I managed to avoid the Jedi Purge… mostly.

When myself and Captain Rex lead a clone battalion against Maul on Mandalore, things were going smoothly until the order was given. Thankfully, Rex had removed his chip some time before the mission. Everyone else turned on me, despite that I was no longer an official Jedi. We ran as fast as possible, but we couldn't quite lose them. We ended up faking our own deaths. By that time, I could no longer feel Anakin's presence in the Force, so I assumed something had happened. Imagine my shock and horror when I found Anakin buried deep down under the layers of hate, anger and fear from Darth Vader. But I've atoned for my past and made peace with it. Odds are we won't be seeing each other again in this life. Someone will spark his redemption… eventually."

Kallus placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "At the very least, you're not alone. You have a loving family always willing to support you. Something I was never lucky to have as my parents were killed in the Clone Wars. I thought by joining the Empire that I could help to end the violence. I couldn't have been more wrong…"

She hugged him. "Hey, at least you came to see what the Empire really was in the end. I don't know about you, but I've had enough of this gloomy talk. We ought to meet with the rest of the Rebellion. We'll ne missed."

Ezra came running towards the two. "What are you two standing around here for ?! You're wanted for the Decoration Ceremony ! Come on, hurry !"

They ran towards the great hall where all Rebels were gathered. At the end of the hall, Senator Mothma was standing by a podium with several medals in her hand.

"General Hera Syndulla, this medal is to recognize your leadership skills during the Battle of Atollon. May you continue to help with our struggles."

Hera approached Mothma, bowing slighty to allow the latter to place the medal on her neck. "As long as the Empire remains, I'll do my part, Senator."

Mothma motioned Ahsoka to come forth. "Commander Ahsoka Tano, this medal is offered to you for saving the majority of the Rebel Fleet by distracting Darth Vader away."

Ahsoka bowed before the Senator, accepting her medal. "It was a dangerous choice, but thanks to my piloting training during the Clone Wars, I managed to stay ahead of him and avoid his fire as well."

Mothma had two other medals to hand out. "General Grievous and General Kalani, for your contributions for our victory over Thrawn, you are both hereby pardoned of your crimes committed against the Republic during the Clone Wars. May these medals be a symbol of our thanks and recognition."

The Kaleesh cyborg and Super Tactical Droid walked towards the podium, gently bowing to be medalled.

As all 4 medallists faced the crowds, everyone cheered and applauded them.

After the Decoration Ceremony came the victory feast. B1 Battle Droids acted as waiters.

B1-268 struggled to get Ahsoka's order. "Uh… what was that again ?"

"Shillian Kebab if available, but make sure there's no Thimiar meat. My body doesn't respond to it very well. And a glass of Corellian red wine with that, please."

B1-268 entered the order on a datapad. "Roger, roger ! I'll have it served as soon as possible, Mistress." He went off to get the orders of other patrons.

Lux and Senator Organa were discussing the Death Star Project.

"Last I heard, Senator, was that Director Krennic still suffered setbacks because of Galen Erso's absence."

Senator Organa checked the information provided by Cassian. "He has been brought back to the design team, last I heard. We'll need to find a way to acquire the plans and study them for a weakness. If we allow the Empire the opportunity to complete their secret weapon, no planet will be safe."

B1-268 arrived with Ahsoka's order. "Here you are, Mistress. Enjoy."

"Thank you." She began to tear into the various meats.

On the other end, the Ghost Crew were enjoying the celebrations in their own way. Zeb and Ezra were playing Sabacc, with Ezra on the loosing end. "Aw man, this is like the 5th time you've beat me !"

"Heh heh heh, what can I say, kid ? You need more practice ! Wanna try again ?" Zeb offered.

"Nah, I think I've had my fill of losing to you, Zeb." Ezra stood up and walked off.

Outside of the base, Mina was looking out to the horizon, caught up in her thoughts.

Ezra, noticing her, walked up to her. "Hey, great job on shooting those Imperials. Too bad about Jeremy, though…"

She turned to him, a worried expression on her face. "Not everyone makes it out alive, I guess… He died in what he believed in, Ezra. I can't help but wonder if we'll live long enough to see the end of the Empire. Don't you feel the same ?"

Ezra sighed deeply, joining her at gazing at the stars. "Yeah, I always keep thinking the next day is my last. Back on Malachor, I was petrified when Darth Vader disarmed and cornered me… Had your mother not being with us and intervened…"

Mina wrapped her arms around him. "Shh. It's ok. You've lived through the ordeal. Mom is stronger than most people expect, so I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that Vader couldn't have possibly killed her when we heard the news about her "death"."

"So you'll stick with the Rebellion ?" Ezra probed.

Mina broke away from the embrace. "Yes, I've been wanting to take part in the fight since I was a child, but my father wouldn't let me. He's so afraid of losing me and Mom, so I can understand why he hesitated to give me some piloting lessons when I was younger."

Back at the dining hall, Ahsoka was halfway through her meal. " _Uh oh… What's that feeling ? Oh no… I can't believe I missed it again ! So there was Thimiar meat present._ " She turned to Lux. "Lux… where's the nearest refresher ?" She whispered.

Lux turned to her, a smirk planted on his lips. "Oh ? Through that hall on your right, you can't miss it." He pointed.

"Thanks !" She rose and walked quickly towards her destination.

Several minutes later, she stepped out and walked over to Hera and Sabine. Clearing her throat, they turned to her. "If either of you ladies have business in the refresher, do so at you own risk. It's… _dangerous_."

Both Hera and Sabine couldn't help but burst out in laughter. "Ha ha ha ! We _knew_ that Thimiar had an adverse effect on you, so we paid the cook to slip a bit of its meat in your dish !"

Ahsoka clenched her fists, gritting her teeth. "You lousy… ! Ugh !"

Just then, a female Human stepped out of the refresher. "What happened in there ?! Somebody launched a stinkbomb !"

Everyone turned their attention to Ahsoka. Her lekku stripes suddenly turned to the deepest shade of blue, almost turning to black. She pointed to Hera and Sabine. "Th-these two are to blame ! They knew about my "weakness" and chose to pull a prank on me !"

The entire room roared in laughter. Even the more serious Senator Organa and Senator Mothma were amused. Mina and Ezra ran in, wanting to know what the commotion was about.

Mina titled towards Ezra. "There's only _one_ reason why Mom would have her stripes this dark. Someone pranked her into eating Thimiar. They give her gas. Real bad gas."

Ezra went into laughing fits. "Ah ha ha ha ! Oh, that's good ! So good ! Ha ha ha ha !"

During the remainder of the night, the Rebels stood into groups, made their own fires and told stories.

 **Imperial Headquarters, Coruscant**

The Emperor had summoned Grand Moff Tarkin to his throne room. As Tarkin arrived, he knelt before his Emperor. "Your Grace, I heard about the Rebel's victory over Thrawn."

"Yes, unforeseen allies changed the tide in their favor." Palpatine grumbled. "I think it is time that we accelerate the completion of the Death Star. Director Krennic has taken far too long, so I'm appointing you to oversee its completion and use it when ready. Governor Pryce will be promoted to the rank of Grand Moff. She shouldn't have issues keeping the people under our rule and quashing any attempt of rebellion."

Tarkin bowed. "I thank you, your Grace. I can finally put Krennic in his place. He tends to see himself as the most vital member of the project because he assembled the team of technicians. He couldn't be more wrong. You can expect the Death Star to be operational much sooner than anticipated…"

With that, Tarkin took his private shuttle and headed off towards the last known location of the super weapon.

 **Approximately 2 years later, following the Battle of Scarif…**

Darth Vader had been unable to acquire the secret plans sent by Cassian Andor and Jyn Erso to the Rebel Fleet. Onto an Alderaanian CR90 Corvette Cruiser, Imperial Senator Leia Organa was holding onto the disc containing the plans of the Death Star. "This disc contains more than vital information. It also contains hope." She said.

It wouldn't be long before Vader would be pursuing them over Tatooine's orbit.

 **Fuel Replenishing Station, Orondia**

A Corellian Spice Freighter landed to replenish much needed fuel. However, there was another reason the pilot and co-pilot stopped here.

A male Human, around 30 years old, and his male Wookie companion, scanned their surroundings. The Wookie let out a soft growl.

His Human friend turned to him. "I know, Chewie ! I don't like this any better than you do ! Why would the former Senator of Onderon ask us to meet him at this dump ? We'll find out soon enough, I suppose…"

Moments later, an Imperial shuttle landed near the freighter. "That's gotta be him. Come on, Chewie !"

Lux stepped out of the shuttle with Ahsoka and Mina in tow. "Captain Solo, we meet again. First mate Chewbacca, a pleasure to see you again."

Ahsoka raised an eye marking. "Chewbacca ?! Is it really you ? Do you remember me… from the Moon of Wasskah ?"

Chewbacca let out a series of roars before picking the Togruta in his arms and hugging her tightly.

"I'm glad to see you too, old friend !" She returned the hug.

Lux cleared his throat. "Right. Where are my manners ? This is Ahsoka, my wife. And this is Mina, our daughter."

Han shook hands with both of them. "Nice to meet you both. Alright, so you didn't make me come all over to this dump so you could show me your family, right ?"

Lux chuckled. "No, of course not. You've helped me smuggle weapons and supplies for the Rebellion before. Now I've come to ask you… a different kind of favor."

Han raised an eyebrow. "Which is ?"

Lux placed his hands on Mina's shoulders, shoving her gently forward. "As you know, we are deeply involved with the Rebellion. With Thrawn and Krennic defeated, the Empire is accelerating the completion of a secret weapon. We can't guarantee our own safety, but we want to make sure that Mina lives to see and know true freedom. Please, take her with you. She's an accomplished pilot and a knowledgeable mechanic. I have no doubt that she will help you greatly."

Han knelt to Mina's level. "How old are you, kid ?"

"I've recently turned 18, so I'm not a kid anymore. Give me my chance to prove my worth to you and Chewbacca. Three are always better than two, no ? If you get caught up in Imperial troubles, I can help you get out of them." Unbeknownst to Han, she carried two lightsabers on her belt, like her mother.

Han turned to his Wookie companion. "Well, Chewie… what do you think ?"

Chewbacca let out some approving growls. Han nodded. "Yeah, good enough for me too. Alright, Mina, welcome to the crew of the Millennium Falcon. I like to call the Wookie by his nickname. Do you have one ?"

Mina turned to her mother, then back at Han, a smirk planted on her lips. "Snips. You can call me Snips."

Han snorted a laugh. "That's cute ! All right, Snips, get onboard. Come on, Chewie !"

As the Millennium Falcon departed to unknown locations, Lux and Ahsoka started up the Tydirium. "Well… That went rather well… Have we done the right thing ?" He asked.

She wrapped an arm around him, kissing his cheek. "While I don't completely agree of placing her under the care of a known spice smuggler, she won't be targeted by the Empire this way. She's safer with him than with us. If you trust him to treat her well, I guess I should too."

With that, the Tyridium took a route for Yavin IV.

Back with the crew of the Falcon, all 3 sat in the main cockpit. Mina was ever curious. "So where are we headed ?"

"Where's there's little of Imperial influence : Hutt-controlled space. We'll land on Tatooine and stop at Mos Eisley. There's a pretty good cantina down there. Ever had any drinks, Snips ?" Han activated a hologram to visualize their flight path.

"A bit. Mostly in the company of my parents. Just plain stuff like Corellian Ale and Corellian Wine. Heard their Brandy is decent, tho." Mina could tell her acquaintance with Han Solo and Chewbacca would not get dull any time soon.

Han took out a credit chip. "Well then, Snips, your first shot of Corellian Brandy is on me !"

She blinked. "Uh… yay, I guess."

Han chuckled. "Mina, I feel we're gonna get along together just fine."

The Millennium Falcon entered Tatooine's atmosphere and quickly landed in a designated landing area of Mos Eisley. It even had a number : Docking Bay 94.

 **To be continued…**

 **And thus ends yet another story. While it may have been on the short side of things, this was meant as a taste of things to come in a future project. That's right folks ! I'll be tackling the Original Trilogy at some point this year. It'll obviously be AU since Mina Bonteri (the child of Ahsoka and Lux) doesn't exist canon-wise. She'll serve as the companion for Han, Luke and Leia during the main storylines. Her presence shouldn't change too much of the original plot, but it should be interesting nonetheless. Why am I not working on this after a short break ? Because I have** _ **another**_ **crossover that I've been brainstorming on. A crossover of Clone Wars and Game of Thrones. For those whom know GoT, can you imagine the reaction for Anakin, Ahsoka, Padmé and Obi-Wan when Tyrion Lannister, the Sellsword Bronn and their Squire Podrick Payne, somehow end up on Coruscant ? Life on Coruscant will never be the same for sure ;) I have to thank Lux's Sister for introducing me to this "interesting" series. Feel free to leave a review.**


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